NOTES, 

DURING A 

VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

ETC. 




-E?i<?raved by Geo.JTunt 



N O T E S, 

DURING A VISIT TO 

EGYPT, NUBIA, THE OASIS, 
MOUNT SINAI, 

AND 

JERUSALEM, 



EH 

SIR FREDERICK HENN1KER, BART, 




tm V YAM 
t.i>»:;j ovsxti 




5 




PREF A C E. 



"O that mine adversary had written a 
book/' is an exclamation which betrays no 
little degree of malice, and no slight know- 
ledge of Reviewers. I have been persuaded to 
make a book ; — but I have made it as short 
as possible, and to this accidents have con- 
tributed. Part of the following w r as written 
to a friend, to whom, verbum sat : — the amuse- 
ments of drawing and shooting prevented me 
the trouble of making long notes :— what I did 
write has but lately arrived in England : 
and part of my papers have been lost. — 
With respect to the scene of my travels, I 
did not advance beyond the neighbourhood 
of the second cataracts, and I made but a 

b 



Yi PREFACE, 

short visit to the Oasis, Mount Sinai, and 
Jerusalem. As to the subject, I may ob- 
serve, that my delight was rather in nature 
than in works of art : of the latter, indeed, I 
have not omitted the name of any object, and 
have particularly mentioned such features as 
sufficiently interested me while on the spot 
to take drawings of. In speaking of the 
people, I am, perhaps, in some few instances, 
deceived, either by vulgar errors, or by wan- 
tonness : but in general I have related only 
such anecdotes as appeared to me to be cha- 
racteristic, and such as I practically learnt. 

FREDERICK HENNIKER, 



Newton Hall, 
Aug. 1822. 



CONTENTS. 



CHAP. I. 

Voyage from Malta... Pilot-boat,.. Alexandria. 



CHAP. II. 

Plague. . . Dogs . . .Obelisks . . . Pompey's Pillar . . . Canal. . . Cata- 
combs... Flies. 

CHAP. III. 

Mirage ... Swallows ... Canopus ... Bedouins ... Etko... Rosetta 
Gardens... Bogaze... Rice Magazine... Ablution ... Coffee and 
Pipes ..More Dogs. 



CHAP. IV. 

Voyage to Damietta...Cosa-fa and Non-fa-Niente... Fecundity 
. . Sais . . . Ibis Ardea. . . Jerreed. . Fantasia". . . Menouf . . . Semen- 
houd ... Beybait ...Mersy ...Charms ... Menzaleh ...Lake... Da- 
rn ietta. 

b 2 



viii 



CONTENTS. 



CHAP. V. 

Matarieh...Sann... Burial-place... Tanitic Branch... Om Fo- 
redge...Bubastic Branch... Bedouins... Djibel Romano... Pelu- 
sium...Tinneh...Tennys. 

CHAP. VI. 

Tennys...Toomah...Tomb of a Shekh...Debbee...Tmai... 

Jackalls...Cosa-fa and Non-fa-Niente... Retrospect of the Delta. 

CHAP. VII. 

Cairo... The Name... The Town... Palace ...Joseph's Well... 
Divan. . .Joseph's Asylum. . .Matarieh. . .Keliopolis. . . A Mosque. . . 
Lamentations... Introduction to the Pasha. 

CHAP. VIII. 

Cairo...Review... Triumphal Entr}^ of Ibrahim Pasha... Cara- 
van from Mecca... Cemeteries... Almah...P3Tamids. 

CHAP. IX. 

Cairo to Bedrousin... Sacchara... Mummy-pit... Benisouef... 
Bebee... Djibel et Teir. .. Palm-tree. ..Minieh... El Coom Amrah 
. . .Metarrah . . . B enihassan . . . Antinoe. 

CHAR X. 

Rhadamone . . . Ashmounim . . . Hermopolis . . . Melawi. . .Manfa- 
loot...Mahabdie ... Crocodile Pit...Lekraat...Siout... Aboutidge 
. . . Gou . . .Shekh Eredy . . .Ekmim . . . Souhedge . . . Girgeh . . . Balea- 
inieh...Arabat Matfooner. 



CONTENTS. ix 



CHAP. XI. 

Ho. . .Diospolis Mikra. . . Cafr Saiad. . . Choenoboscium . . . Croco- 
diles... Warrhen...Dendera...Kenneh...Copht.,.Goos. 

CHAP. XII. 

Th ebes... Tombs... Memnonium ... Medinet-Abou ... Memnon 
. . .Lougsor,..Carnac.,.Psyllus. . .Dogs. . . Cemeteries...Relics. 

CHAP. XIII. 

Hermontis . . . Esneh . . . Latopolis . . . Contra-Laton . . . Heggs . . . 
Eleithias...Edfou...Hadjar Silsilis...Koum Ombos...Isle of Ele 
phantine . . . Essouan . ... Cataracts . . . Philae. 

CHAP. XIV. 

Debood. . .Kardassy . . .Kalebshy . . . Dondoor . . . G wersh-Hassan 
. . . Dakky . . . Korty . . . Maharrag . . . Sebouah . . . Djibel et Telly . . . 
Dehr . . . Thoomoz . . .Ibrim . . . Arnky . . . Ebsambal. 

CHAP. XV. 

Of the Nubian. 



CHAP. XVI. 

Descend to Philoe ... Granite Quarries... Derail vy... Slaves. 
Takrouri... Arrival at Esneh... Departure for the Oasis. 



CHAP. XVII. 

The Oasis Boeris. 



X 



CONTENTS. 



CHAP. XVIII. 
Departure from the Oasis. .. Ho. ..Minieh... Return to Cairo. 

CHAP. XIX. 
Arrival at Cairo... Pyramid of Chephrenes. 

CHAP. XX. 

Departure from Cairo ... Suez ... Tor... The Narkoos... Arrival 
at Mount Sinai. 

CHAP. XXI. 

Mount Sinai. 

CHAP. XXII. 

Departure from Mount Sinai. 

CHAP. XXIII. 
Jerusalem. 

CHAP. XXIV. 

Departure from Jerusalem. ..Ramlah...Cucommin... Nazareth 
...Acre ...Tyre ... Sidon ... Baroot ... Tripoli ... Cannobin ... By- 
sherry . . . Balbeck . . .Baroot . . . Cyprus . . . Kakava... Rhodes . . . Scala 
Nuova. . .Ephesus. . . Smyrna. . . Athens. . .Hydra. .. Constantinople 
. . . Vasilikos. . .Varna . . .Bucharest . . .Vienna. 



DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER. 



Jerusalem... to face the Title-Page. 

Tablet of Hieroglyphics. ..to face Page 161. 

Convent of Mount Sinai. ..to face Page 234. 



VISIT 

TO 

EGYPT, NUBIA, THE OASIS, 

MOUNT SINAI, 

Sfc. $c. 



CHAPTER I. 

VOYAGE FROM MALTA PILOT BOAT— ALEXANDRIA. 

DEAR W 

As your accident on Mount Vesuvius is also my 
misfortune, depriving me of your company to 
Egypt, I shall alleviate part of my own at least, 
by occasionally sending you an extract from my 
journal. 

October 6th, S p. m.— Took the good wishes of 
my friends at Malta, and went on board the brig 
Costante, already under weigh for Alexandria, and 
at 3 p. m. commenced my unceasing wish, that the 
voyage was over— wind fresh but fair— and fair 
but fresh — -the sun in setting appeared particularly 
red \ the captain and myself looked at it with very 

B 



2 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



different sensations — I admired it : the captain ap- 
plied the word " Capote" as an epithet, and sent 
for his great coat — it soon came on a violent gale ; 
however it was very well, when over — we had run 
two hundred miles in twenty-four hours. 

Eighth — Oth. — Time passes on as it usually does 
at sea ; " how far have we come, how far have we 
to go, at what rate are we going, when do you 
think we shall arrive, only guess," — no mile-stones — 
no land — no ships — not even a straw for a drown- 
ing man to catch at — " nil nisi pontus et aer," as 
the Latin grammar says. 

In so long a traject as from Malta to Egypt, a 
landsman has a right to expect a weather adventure, 
but not when the stars are unusually bright and 
beautiful. " All that glisters is not gold ;" the 
breeze that removes the clouds from Heaven, ruf- 
fles the surface of the deep. About midnight I 
found my head knocking itself against either side 
of my birth, as if was not my own, an awful bell 
was summoning all hands upon deck — " hear it 
not Duncan" — pumps going, brandy going, and 
so was my breath, no " aes triplex" to keep my 
heart in its proper place, the pitching of the vessel 
had the same alarming effect, as descending the 
mountains of pleasure in the jardin Beaujon at 
Paris ; I shall never again call Saint Peter coward, 
and I repent of having with you, in the straits of 
Messina, abused Virgil for exaggerating Scylla 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 3 

and Charybdis ; I now think Homer more unpar- 
donable for attempting to express the threats of 
the sea in one word. 

Fourteenth. — Wind little, and none, there is 
a feather vane near the steersman, it droops : I put 
lighter feathers, but it wo'n't do ; we are however 
near land, a heavy mist that falls at the moment 
of sunset warns us of our approach to Egypt. 

Fifteenth. — The sea is brown and brackish, this 
is owing to the influx of the Nile, and yet we are 
probably forty miles from the mouth of the river — 
the night is so dark and the coast so dangerous, 
that we bear away from the object of our wishes. 

Sixteenth. — Day break, hail to the gardens of 
Rosetta, we have overshot our mark and tack back 
for Alexandria — a low white streak scarcely rising 
above the level of the sea ; compared by Denon 
to a riband stretched along the horizon — Pompey's 
pillar looks like a light-house and answers the pur- 
pose of a land-mark. 

Alexandria has two ports, the old and the new ; 
the latter is exposed and not frequented, the former 
is not easy of access, it has a mouth like that 
of a mad dog, rocks like teeth, protruding, foam- 
ing, and threatening; still a chance of commencing 
my adventures with a shipwreck like many tra- 
vellers in this quarter ; a boat-load of screaming 
pilots give a horror and interest to the scene; the 

b 2 



4 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



dresses of these men, unlike that neat uniformity 
which pervades our seafaring class, are as gay and 
diversified as the changes of fancy, colour, and 
embroidery can make them ; turbans, poniards, 
red shoes, no stockings, mustaches extending on 
either side the face like a cat's feelers — a grey 
bearded fellow who seems old enough to have been 
pilot to Noah, and clothed in Joseph's garment, 
his legs crossed, his arms folded, with a pipe in. his 
hand, is perpetually screaming out " Hay-lay-essah, 

Hay-lay-essah," (God help us, God ) and now 

that we have cleared the rocks, and that there is 
no more danger, old grey-beard comes on board for 
payment, he asks also, " becksheesh," a regalo, 
a present ; his coming on board is worth something, 
for it is a sign that the plague does not at present 
exist in Alexandria. It is nearly the moment of 
sun-set and gate-locking, so that I cannot yet make 
my escape from this moving jail, nor can I at pre- 
sent discover any thing to tempt me on shore ex- 
cept a few palm-trees, and what will also defy my 
cariosity, a large white building at the extremity 
of a tongue of land, far removed from man ; it is 
the Harem belonging to the Cleopatras of the 
Pasha. 

We have run nearly a thousand miles in ten days, 
a rate I should be most happy to compound for with 
Neptune and his unholy allies. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



5 



17th. — I have been on shore ; the very stepping 
stones at the water's edge are a mass of antiqui- 
ties, about to quit their native country, with strong 

letters of recommendation from Messrs. and 

, to the respective governments of England 

and France ; defaced hieroglyphics and noseless 
statues sent for no visible reason, unless for ballast. 
Who would imagine that such things are to be paid 
for? If such are the pieces of the gorgeous palaces 
that are worth carrying away, there will scarcely 
be left a wreck behind ! I may return to Rome to 
look at obelisks, and to London and Paris for all 
else of Egyptian labour. 

Conducted to the house of the English consul - y 
streets narrow, winding, and filthy ; houses low, 
unfinished and unfurnished ; where there ought to 
be glass, is a closely reticulated wooden grating, 
like the screens of a nunnery, and to answer the 
same purpose ; the women here are born in a pri- 
son, they live in a prison, and they die in a prison, 
if they escape being tied in a sack and drowned. 
Contrasted with the vile appearance of the town 
are the gaudy habiliments of the people ; one might 
imagine the place to be wealthy — but there are also 
such a number of half clothed and half starved, 
that Alexandria appears to be a national poor-house. 
Coffies and smokies are as frequent and as frequent- 
ed as gin-shops and ale-houses in London. In lieu 



6 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



of silver-smiths and confectioners, are tobacco-cut- 
ters and barbers ; at length we enter the only 
street that boasts a pane of glass ; this is inhabited 
by Francs. The term Franc is applied to every 
head that has a hat on it ; and here forgetting all 
national and religious differences, they flock toge- 
ther, as Jews do in London, and Turks in Venice. 

Arrived at the consulate — no one knocks at Mr. 
Lee's doors without experiencing disagreeable 
sensations, till within them. They are evidently con- 
structed as a defence against either plague or mob ; 
being double and having a small aperture for cau- 
tion's sake. 

In the town is an inn and a table d'hote, the ta- 
ble being covered with oil-skin, which is an anti- 
plague ; here are also lodgings to let, but. I retain 
my birth on board the brig ; there is a wide dif- 
ference between being in a ship when at sea, and 
when it cannot run away with you ; we have a 
minor plague on board, musquitoes and flies, they 
boarded us yesterday as busy as custom-house of- 
ficers ; the flies are wading incessantly through this 
scrawl, following my pen as crows do the plough. 
What trouble, not sport, Domitian would have had 
here ! Sir R. Wilson states that he used to kill such 
quantities at a time that it " appeared as if a cask 
of currants had been spilt." It is surely no harm 
to kill a musquito, and I know not which are our 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 7 

greatest enemies, the flies or the musquitoes, they 
hold divided sway- — half sting by night, the others 
sting by day. 

Yours, 

P. S. Whenever I make use of Arabic terms, I 
shall write them as my ear dictates to my pen. 



8 



A VISIT TO EGYPT j NUBIA, 



CHAPTER II. 

PLAGUE DOGS- — OBELISKS POMPEY's PILLAR-— 

CANAL CATACOMBS FLIES. 

ALEXANDRIA, 21ST OCTOBER. 

The camel with our luggage is gone, and the don- 
kies that are to carry ourselves are ready ; they do 
not appear so anxious to proceed as our guide, 
who says that if we turn out of our way to look for 
where Canopus fuit, it will be dark ere we reach 
the half-way house. — But to my mem. — Concern- 
ing the plague, nothing certain is known of it ex- 
cept its dreadfulness — fear, as in all other coun- 
tries, and other diseases is a conductor ; if so, I run 
great risk. A merchant here at the commence- 
ment of the late plague shut up his house, and 
would allow no one to answer the door but himself ; 
he caught the plague, and died : all the other in- 
mates escaped. Among curious cases there is one 
on record at Malta. A tailor, who had procured 
some silk from an infected house, passed the even- 
ing with a soldier and his wife : the tailor went 
home, and the soldier and his wife to bed ; on the 
following morning the woman found her husband 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



9 



dead by her side, and covered with tumors : she 
was put into the lazzaretto, as was also the tailor : 
at the end of three weeks the infection manifested 
itself upon the latter, and he died; the woman 
escaped altogether. There is no calculating upon 
safety — till after the 24th of June. Then, even the 
Turks, who are fatalists, have a feast, under the 
idea that the plague ceases on that day — it usually 
about that time goes out of town for the season, 
or remains incog. 

Walked towards the obelisks of Cleopatra, they 
are situated at the edge of the new port. Within 
a few yards of the town, the butchers were draw- 
ing and quartering buffaloes : the sands fetid with 
entrails : sharks and dogs are the only scavengers. 
Here commences a wall, which is supposed to be 
a defence, and is called the city wall ; under it are 
frequent mounds of rubbish, such as are seen in 
the purlieus of London, where retiring citizens pla- 
card " Belle vue" upon a cottage. Attempting to 
pass the first of these filth hills, a pack of brindled 
wolf dogs rushed down upon us, barking furiously 
as if they knew me to be a Christian. I had al- 
most determined, Actseon-like, to fly, but stood at 
bay, and at length backed out of their dirty terri- 
tories, the dogs following till we approached a se- 
cond mound. Here a second kennel was let loose 
upon us, and the former, having handed us over to 
strict watch, retired. They have a method in their 



10 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



madness ; and I would match them for frightening 
strangers against double the number of geese of the 
Capitol. 

The town wall runs between the water's edge 
and the obelisks : fragments of pillars and archi- 
tectural remains, probably once connected with 
them, are visible under the neighbouring waves. 
Encountered the dogs once more, and entered the 
town. 

Met a crowd of Roman Catholics returning from 
mass : they have a neat chapel, which is not only 
tolerated by the government, but even surmounted 
by the Turkish flag to preserve it from insult. 
In Bucharest, the capital of a Turkish province, 
every religion is tolerated — except the Mahomme- 
dan — strange inconsistency. The Pope also has an 
armed force, and having an armed force has the 
word Peace inscribed upon his standard. Near the 
chapel stand three plain granite columns, that may 
have been part of a portico, or any thing else. I 
really cannot make them interesting : Denon has 
made a pretty picture of the subject; but the 
beauties of it do not exist. Nearly opposite is a 
ruined mosque, in which was found a noble sarco- 
phagus, it was packed up cleverly by the French 
for the Louvre, but it se trouve in the British Mu- 
seum ; the cross is still evident on some of the 
stones used in this Turkish temple — but even the 
eagle is not obliterated from all the public build- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



11 



ings at Paris. I laboured onward over some acres 
of crockery : at Rome it is difficult to believe that 
Monte Testaccio is formed of such materials, but 
here we may fancy the wreck of all the potteries of 
Egypt. The city cisterns are filled but once yearly, 
by the overflow of the Nile ; they are spacious, and 
underground ; will soon fall into disuse probably, 
as a canal is about to be opened between the river 
and the town ; at present I am watching a camel, 
he carries two goats skins for water — kneels down 
at command near the opening of the cistern ; the 
skins being rilled, he springs up, and bears his bur- 
den to the town — if cunning did not master strength, 
camels and elephants would never submit to man. 
The obelisks of Cleopatra do not appear striking to 
one accustomed to those at Rome ; even in size 
they yield to that standing before the church of 
St. John Laterensis. One of them is under sailing 
orders for London, in the other there is nothing so 
remarkable as to observe that the hieroglyphics on 
two of the sides are nearly effaced by the pelting 
of the sand ; such is the effect of minute particles 
even upon granite, while the sides exposed to the 
saline atmosphere, have not suffered the slightest 
injury, and three thousand years have passed heed- 
lessly by, These obelisks are called the Needles 
of Cleopatra : they have no eyes to them, but if 
they had, a cable six feet in diameter might pass 



12 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



through as easily as through the needles of the Isle 
of Wight. 

Pompey's pillar stands without the walls ; the 
distance at which it is seen at sea prepares one for 
the intelligence that it is nearly 100 feet in height : 
the shaft is said to be the loftiest in the world (as 
a single block). This bel pezzo of granite is in 
height superior to perhaps any house in London ; 
and here, where the buildings are comparatively 
cottages, appears to great advantage ; the capital 
(Corinthian order) is different as to material, and 
indifferent as to workmanship : in its character as 
a column it is less pleasing than many at Rome and 
Athens, and, as a monument, it is not to be re- 
membered with Trajan's pillar, nor with that in 
the Place Vendome at Paris, nor with " the Monu- 
ment'" in London, it has not moreover any admo- 
nition on the shaft : it may have one upon the pe- 
destal, because Quaresmius gives one and Hamilton 
gives another : the former says it was erected by 
Alexander ; I leave the curious to settle the point 
whether it was erected in honor of Alexander, or 
of Diocletian, or of Severus — "tulit alter honores." 
I did not ascend it, though not forgetful of the plan 
of flying a kite, as was done over the tower at Pisa. 
It is quite sufficient for me to be told by our cap- 
tain, that he, in company with seventeen others, 
dined on the top. Encamped near the pillar is one 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 13 

of the Pasha's sons, whose duty is to superintend 
the operations going on at the new canal, and to 
prevent the labourers from deserting : these labour- 
ers are procured by conscriptions levied on the vil- 
lages : Egypt is still " the house of bondage. 99 
Met part of the governor's harem : each woman 
riding on a donkey, and covered with a mantle of 
black silk, as with a cloud, I should have mistaken 
them for bales of goods, can form no opinion of 
cither face or figure : their master has lost his nose. 

The canal is the labour of many thousand wretches 
brought together by force, and ill paid for their 
work ; many of them who had probably never seen 
a hat before, surrounded us : Becksheesh was the 
rallying w^ord : these poor wretches are covered 
with rags, at least those who have enough of them. 
There is but little method in their labour : that of 
raising water from one level to another is an inge- 
nious piece of awkwardness ; a low bank is built up, 
two men at a few paces distant opposite each other, 
swing a rush basket through the obnoxious pool, 
the water, that does not fall through, is thrown 
over the bank, and thus it is handed on. At 
the moment of sunset, a note of exultation ran 
through the workmen ; with scarcely an exception 
they performed their ablutions in the dirty puddles, 
and knelt down on the spot to pray. All turned 
their faces towards Mecca, a Mohammedan always 
does while praying, whatever part of the world he 



A VlSit TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



may be in, and similarly as we turn towards Jeru- 
salem when looking at the communion-table. 
Prayers finished, those who had any thing to eat, 
supped, and a miserable number who had nothing, 
scratched a kind of grave in the sand, and, taking 
off their rags, endeavoured to make a coverlid, 
particularly to guard the head. The gates of the 
town locked — Becksheesh effected a breach. 

Went with a party armed to see the excavations : 
about two miles W. of the town some paltry cham- 
bers have been cut in the rock, and being washed 
by the sea, are nicknamed, " The Baths of Cleo- 
patra;" in the neighbourhood the stone-cutters 
have displayed their fancy in forming a kind of 
temple, and sundry chambers ; these are called the 
catacombs, but are very inferior to those at Syra- 
cuse, or even to those at Paris ; they are half filled 
with dirt : a quantity of bones and holes indicate 
that these places have long been the resort of wild 
animals ; an hyaena had been killed here a few days 
before, and our guide discharged a musket at en- 
tering ; we were also provided with the ship's line, 
which we made use of as a clue to our egress : the 
story of people having been lost is applied to these 
catacombs, in common with all others from the time 
of Theseus ; our arms were meant to be of use 
should the Arabs have attempted to fasten us in for 
ransom, a trick by no means uncommon. 

Revisited the canal : in the cross cut that com- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



15 



municates with the new port, and within 200 yards 
of it, 20 feet below the surface of the sands, is a 
considerable extent of laboured stone, and two 
granite columns of a peculiar want of order, draw- 
ing to a point at the top : if this fabric ever formed 
part of Alexandria, as it probably did, it must 
have been at that time when, according to report, 
it contained a population three times as large as 
that of London is at present ; at that time too the 
library was in existence, but the glory of this part 
of the world passeth away : the town is sunk below 
comparison, and as to books, the library is now 
reduced to the Koran, a pocket Vade Mecum, that 
contains love, law, and religion ; throughout the 
Mohammedan dominions, which occupy no incon- 
siderable space of the ancient hemisphere, there is 
but one Turkish printing press : Plato and Pytha- 
goras once came to Egypt to learn. The town of 
Alexandria, from the land side, appears like a 
stone-mason's yard, nothing to relieve the eye from 
sun, sand, and stone, except a few palm-trees, and 
occasionally a flag, denoting a consulate ; the town- 
wall embraces a large space of ground, containing 
gardens, and even hamlets, the huts of which are 
about six feet square, of unburnt brick. Turning 
a corner suddenly, I came near a woman whose 
veil was raised, she screamed, and appeared angry, 
I had no reason to congratulate myself, though it 
is the first female face that I have seen in Egypt, it 



16 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

may also be the plainest : every woman wears a 
sort of Venetian mask, and reminds me of a funeral 
fraternity at Rome ; but, if I may be allowed to 
judge by the sample, I suffer no great privation. 

A small battery thrown up by the French is still 
in existence; under it is a neat mosque lately erected 
by public subscription ; it is said that the Prophet 
appeared to the Viceroy, and commanded it to be 
done ; the magnificent church of Santa Maria 
Maggiore, at Rome, was built in consequence of 
a similar miraculous imposition. The Pasha is not 
considered over-religious, but can quote Scripture. 

The most strange, the most disgusting, and the 
most unavoidable sight in Alexandria is this — the 
eyes and mouths of all the children are literally 
embanked with flies ; their mouths are beset as if 
they were the mouths of honey-bottles, their eyes 
are too filthy for description ; the children have no 
prescient dread of ophthalmia, but suffer these ver- 
min to remain undisturbed ; whether these two 
organs of sense are used as fly-traps, or whether to 
be fly-blown is to be complimented, I will not de- 
cide ; but Plato was more fortunate in his infancy 
in being overswarmed by bees. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



17 



CHAPTER IIL 

MIRAGE— SWALLOWS CANOPUS BEDOUINS ETKO 

ROSETTA GARDENS BOGAZE RICE MAGAZINE 

ABLUTION— COFFEE AND PIPES MORE DOGS. 

ROSETTA, 22D OCTOBER. 

I also call this place by its Franc name, because 
you do, and every one else unacquainted with the 
proper term ; the natives call it Rashid ; the Ita- 
lians, and Italian is the current medium of conver- 
sation in this country, terminate every word with 
a vowel 5 those who never heard of Haroun el 
Rashid, give another meaning to the word, and 
Rashidda, becomes Rosetta. I am cooling myself 
in the Franc inn, for though the distance from 
Alexandria to this place is only twelve hours, and 
though we tarried that same length of time at the 
half way house, I arrive im-patiens soils alque 
pulveris. 

On leaving Alexandria, we enter immediately 
on the desert, about a league in advance there 
appears to be a large sheet of water, interspersed 
with rocks and cattle immersed to their knees ; their 
images are seen reflected, though the surface of 
the mirror is disturbed by a flickering haziness ; 
oppressed with heat and sand you hasten onwards, 
the water still receding as yon advance, — surely 
one of the plagues of Tantalus was invented on 

c 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



this spot ; an ignis fatuus is not half so provoking 
as this ' ' mirage," again and again deceiving! 
though the last deception left you determined not 
to be deceived again. Thus even the desert is pro- 
ductive of interest ; an infinity of sand is in itself 
a novelty, not a pleasing one ; yet to know that it 
is sand, and at the same time only not believe that 
it is water, equals any deception in the legerdemain 
of nature ; for the solution see the experimental 
philosophy of Dr. Woolaston. 

Swallows in great numbers skim over the plain, 
are they also deceived ? the plumage of their breasts 
is of a deep red colour : I leave it to naturalists to 
determine whether it is the same bird that comes 
with summer, when summer does come to England, 
and if in changing country it changes plumage. 

Distant about three hours from Alexandria, la- 
bourers are making excavations in the sand, they 
call it Canopus ; I saw no fruit of their industry, 
but am told that whatever is found, is again hidden, 
till a sufficiency is collected for market. The 
Francs buy any thing that bears the sign of anti- 
quity. At the water's edge are the remains of 
some colossal figures and baths, which denote the 
ancient site accurately depicted by Denon. 

Approached some Bedouins, they live in low 
ragged tents ; a wooden bowl, a coffee pot, a mat 
to sleep on, a gourd rind for water, a donkey, and 
a goat for milk, comprise their domestic utensils , 



THE OASJS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



19 



their appellation is derived from a word signifying 
desert — they pack up and pack off at a moment's 
notice, as our gipsies. I requested a draught of 
water, which was brought to me in the bowl, enough 
for man and donkey ; the bearer of it, a fine young 
woman, wore a pair of large ear-rings : it seemed 
as if she had sold her wardrobe to purchase these 
barbarous ornaments : she was otherwise beauty 
unadorned, except being tattooed, not only as to 
her eyes and chin, but very low down. A man was 
employed in making cloth, I hope for the young 
woman. The Bedouins in general live beyond the 
reach of despotism, and differ much from those who 
dwell in the cultivated parts of the country. We 
had passed the spot where Abercromby fell, and 
were now within sight of Aboukir. Denon, speak- 
ing of the battle of the Nile, boasts that two or 
three vessels escaped from Nelson, having cut and 
run in a fog — " fatter e et efficgere est triumphiis" 
Etko, the half-way house, a wooden hut nearly filled 
with a wooden dresser ; stretched my mattress and 
myself upon it. A dirty fellow was baling out coffee 
all night ; a gin-shop cannot be more disagreeable ; 
the boards of the roof had parted company, and the 
stars and myself were winking at one another till 
morning. 

22d Oct. 6 a.m. — No English breakfast to be 
got ; no breakfast of any kind ; nothing but coffee, 
half and half, grits and water, neither sugar nor 

c 2 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



milk. Mounted our donkies, five hours to Rosetta 5 
between Alexandria and this place a few palm-trees 
diversify the desert ; bleached bones indicate the 
road as plainly as they did from Waterloo to Paris. 
By the way-side is occasionally placed a tub of 
water, the pious bequest of some rich Mussulman 
— this is charity ! 

Rosetta is of better construction than Alex- 
andria, the houses higher, with the convenience 
that, in the upper stories you may shake hands 
across the streets ; the streets or lanes are there- 
fore dark, but the sun is excluded, which is not an 
advantage in London : the bricks are deep red, 
cemented with a profusion of white mortar, and 
have a peculiar appearance. See plate by Denon. 
The gardens here are delightful, but any thing 
green and cool might well be so to one coming 
from the desert ; these, however, would be valued, 
even after ordinary verdure : they are not so ex- 
tensive as I had imagined, but more beautiful than 
I could have conceived; every thing is in wild luxu- 
riance, and literally a wilderness of sweets ; how dif- 
ferent from a French garden, formed by axe and rule 
into mathematical lines. The banana, the palm, 
the orange, lemon, cedrato, and henneh, besides 
being objects of novelty and beauty, are all in bear- 
ing. The banana pleases me most, both in its fruit 
and in its appearance ; the leaves are nearly six feet 

in length, and of a width to render them just ele- 

7 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. %1 

gant. The banana is called poma paridisi, but had it 
grown there, two leaves would have made a gown 
for Eve, instead of her making a shift with fig-leaves. 
The henneh, loved-of-women, resembles myrtle. 
The various species of orange struggle for room, 
and the whole i s surmounted by the palm-trees ; their 
leaves resembling and drooping like ostrich fea- 
thers. I never saw a hot-house to please me so 
much, scarcely excepting a drawing-room levee 
at Buckingham-gate. The trilinguar stone that 
was discovered here is to be found now in the Bri- 
tish Museum ; no object of curiosity remains except 
the gardens. I wish that they were in London too* 
23d October. — -Hired a small boat and visited the 
Bogaze ; the Bogaze is a sandy island or plain, 
occasionally lent by the sea, and affords a scanty 
pasturage ; the sand annually accumulates, and 
the navigation is already so dangerous that the 
Arabs say, " he who is not afraid of the Bogaze 
does not fear God." The new canal will entirely 
destroy the commerce of Hosetta, and of the seven 
mouths of the Nile ; the mouth at Bamietta will 
be the only one without a locked jaw. It is not 
worth the while to go to the Bogaze, were it not 
for a sail through a magnificent wood of palm -trees, 
and the view at return of the aspiring minarets of 
Rosetta ; it is, however, some consolation to you, 
that a grove of palm-trees are inferior to the same 
number of firs, in alpine scenery, and that a mi- 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



naret in the distance is but little better than an old 
fashioned chimney. A palm is elegant as to its 
leaves, but the trunk is a long and bare straight line, 
like lady Lath-and-plaster at a drawing-room, or a 
corpse carrying its own plume of feathers. I in- 
tend making the tour of Lower Egypt before I visit 
Cairo ; my two boatmen of to-day have almost 
persuaded me to take their skiff, which is only 
eighteen feet long — the waters are out, and I can 
cut across the country; the fashionable thing is a 
candgy or a maash, which you hire reasonably to 
yourself, and in your own cabin, you can go from 
one end of Egypt to the other without seeing any 
thing, and perform your journey moreover with 
great expedition ; but I am not carrying despatches, 
and do wish to see the manners of the natives : A 
candgy is to a maash as a gondola to a barge — 
walked through the rice magazine, nearly all the 
rice of the kingdom is collected here, and it all 
belongs to one man, the Pasha himself — this mer- 
chant viceroy monopolises the whole, and at his own 
price ; vi et armis : when the grain is nearly ripe, 
soldiers are placed in the fields as guards, lest the 
Pasha should be defrauded, and lest he who sows 
should reap 4£ proprio condidit horreo, quic- 
quid de Libycis verritur." 

Saw a Turk of consequence perform his ablu- 
tions — it was near the river's edge in public ; one 
slave poured water over his foot as he held it up, 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 23 

another wiped it, and in the same manner of his 
hands — ablution is the purification from all unclean - 
liness, is commanded to be performed five times a 
day, and extra, after every dirty act ; such as 
touching a dog or a Christian, (dogs and Christians 
are often called by the same name, Kalb) thus 
often is a Mohammedan baptised — a Turk does not 
wear either gloves or stockings, nor even his walk- 
ing shoes in a house, lest they they might be con- 
sidered a screen of dirt; cleanliness is next to 
godliness. 

24th October. — The boatman promised that he 
would not sit all day long cross-legged and smoking ; 
the English vice-consul answers for his honesty, 
and I am persuaded. As to the honesty of this 
place, I have been robbed twice, and this has hap- 
pened on two successive nights ; the only two 
(the night at Etko being sleepless) that I have 
slept on shore; without alluding to the circumstance, 
I enquired the character of my hosts ; the vice- 
consul assures me that they are of good repute — 
I did not mention my loss, willing rather to abide 
it than cast even a suspicion on characters reputedly 
honest ; a hook either through the roof or through 
the windows may have been the means — the win- 
dow-place is open — neither glass nor board. 

The skiff is ready, a matting is put up, a mattress, 
a small sail, and a pair of oars, incommode the 
crew considerably, At taking leave of the vice- 



£4 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



consul, coffee and pipes were presented by a slam ; 
the vice-consul is not an Englishman ; he is, how- 
ever, supposed to be a Christian ; coffee and pipe 
answer to " refreshment," and are invariably 
brought in without a " will you allow me to offer ?" 
drinking and smoking expressed by the same word 
in Arabic, eisherab — the pipe is of wood, either 
cherry or jassmine, in length about six feet— leng.th 
cools the smoke — Kinneir mentions one too long 
for the room, and always put in at the window, 
mem. to try a fishing rod ; presenting a cup of 
coffee, the slave places his hand on his forehead, 
his lips, and his heart, signifying that he honours 
you in thought, word and strength ; he pledges 
faith to you at the same time in one of the usual 
forms of " double life to you, 5 ' or some other set 
phrase — poison is sometimes administered in coffee ; 
there is no other cup for the tragedy queen here- — 
but the slave does not " make essay, 5 ' the cup not 
being so big as an egg-shell. — I go on board. 

P. S. More dogs — I count upwards of thirty 
tearing a cow yet warm, and in the public street ; 
some are half buried in the body of the animal, 
and others fighting for the tit-bits. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC* 



25 



CHAPTER IV. 

VOYAGE TO DAMIETTA COSA-FA AND N ON-F A-NIENTE 

— -FECUNDITY SAIS— — IBIS ARDEA- JERREED- 

" FANTASIA" MENOUF SEMENIIOUD BEYBAIT 

■ MERSY — CHARMS MENZ ALEH LAKE DAMI- 
ETTA. 

DAMIETTA alittS DAMIATH. 

Reached Damietta at length — a long and weary 
voyage— we proceeded up the Rosetta branch of 
the river as far as the canal of Menouf, by which 
we found a way into the second leg of the Delta. 
Dropped down to Mansoura, followed the "canal 
that communicates with Menzaleh, and crossing 
the lake of that name, have reached Damietta at 
length. The Rosetta branch is lined with palms, 
sycamores, and acasias (mimosa Egypt), and the 
numberless villages are enlivened with birds un- 
known in England. The Damietta branch is naked 
and dull \ the canal of Mansoura is worse ; from 
the lake of Menzaleh a wood of palm-trees stretches 
itself to this place. I could almost compare it to 
the gardens of Rosetta — it afforded us shelter. 
Dr. Gregory says, " that love is the effect of gra- 
titude." 

My boatmen are two brothers ^ the elder does 



°6 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



nothing but smoke ; the younger all the work : 
the latter is near-sighted, and makes many mis- 
takes, but coolly reconciles every thing in the true 
Italian style. " Cosa-fa ? Non-fa-niente." I natu- 
rally call busy body, cosa-fa — and lazy boots, non- 
fa-niente. 

25th. — The country seems as fertile of sparrows as 
it is of grain. Aristotle, speaking of the fecundity 
of Egypt, says, that a woman has been known to 
give birth to twenty children in four accouche- 
ments ! 

Frequently is to be seen the mast of a founder- 
ed vessel. It being the grain season, and the ves- 
sels laden for the Pasha, they are probably wilfully 
scuttled. In the neighbourhood of Salthaggar are 
the ruins of Sai's. Went on shore, about half a mile 
distant there was a djerm aground, and a corn ves- 
sel had been sunk near it. Saw six naked black 
fellows jump overboard, and I thought myself their 
prey. They seized my boat ; I hastened back, they 
told me that their vessel was aground, and the 
passengers wished to be put on shore. I went with 
them for that purpose; there was a company of 
soldiers on board, two of whom immediately jump- 
ed into our boat, and took us on a cruise. We 
soon fell in with a djerm, which the soldiers seized, 
and liberated us. One of them, when he took pos- 
session, told me, that he was " a Turk — a Turk — 
not a fellah." Our boatmen are what are termed 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. %7 

fellahs ; that is, native labourers. Fellah seems to 
answer to our old word villanus*, and to be syno- 
nymous with villain, as a term of reproach. Sai's 
is under water, nothing to be seen except the 
mounds that denote the ancient site, and the exca- 
vations that . indicate the labour of the Arabs. They 
tell us that Francs, foolish Francs, come there to 
buy whatever is found ; that only one statue or 
monument is left, and that, because it cannot be 
taken away, " not even an Englishman can move 
it:" it is at present under water. Shot some beau- 
tiful birds, the entire plumage snow white, and in 
form as graceful as the heron, but the body not 
larger than a parrot's. Cosa-fa concealed them lest 
the natives should be offended. This bird lives 
upon locusts and grasshoppers. A Dutchman 
would not thank me for killing a stork. The coun- 
try is flat and covered with water. It resembles 
the sea, at least as much as do the lagunes of 
Venice. 

Upon an artificial elevation, on the banks of the 
river^ were huddled together men and cattle, driven 
from their villages by this annual deluge: they will 
never find their houses again, for the inundation 
will cause them to return to the mud of which they 
came ; however, they can soon re-earth themselves, 
and their houses will make good manure. I would 



* Proprietary husbandman, 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



have gone on shore, but Cosa-fa was afraid that I, 
in my character of a Christian, might be bastonadecL 
I confess, that the spirit of martyrdom did not 
urge me on. 

Observed a Turkish encampment on the bank, 
the cavalry were amusing themselves with the ex- 
ercise of the jerreed. Steered towards them. The 
Turkish soldiers fight individually — each man trusts 
to his own prowess. In practising the jerreed he 
urges his horse to full speed, throws a lance, stops 
short in mid gallop, and wheels suddenly. Slaves, 
or running footmen in attendance to pick up the 
lances. The variety and gaiety of their costume 
give a fine stage effect to this " game of soldiers. 55 
We were within a few yards of the bank when an 
officer, snatching up a musket, took aim at poor 
Non-fa-niente, commanding him to run the boat at 
shore immediately, which he did. Cosa-fa, he said 
that " the officer would have shot him as soon as he 
would a duck, though he had much better shoot a 
duck; 55 a soldier came on board, and we were or- 
dered to give him a passage to Cairo \ as soon as 
out of gun-shot of the camp, I offered him the 
choice of going on shore where we then were, or 
on board the first vessel we should see going up 
the river; he preferred the latter : and, as he seemed 
a bon diable, I did not care to turn him out. The 
sound of music led us on shore at the village of 
Zeara, where a " fantasia* * was given to celebrate 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



the circumcision of the village children, who, un- 
dergoing the same operation in company, may, if 
they can, laugh at one another : this event occa- 
sions as much rejoicing to the Mohammedan pa- 
rents as the christening of a son and heir in Chris- 
tendom ; two drums and two squeaking pipes formed 
the band ; eight villagers were very awkwardly, but 
very innocently, handling some long poles, with 
which they pretended to strike at one another, but 
gave a minute's notice as to what part of the body 
was the object of attack : during this, they kept 
time to the music like dancing bears ; these poles 
are iron-bound at either end, and are the arms of 
the villagers ; the dance and sham-fight are as much 
objects of delight to the Arabs as the Romaica to 
the Greeks : the jokes of our sword-stick players 
are serious ; the band belonged to some ladies of 
easy, or no virtue, who graced this tournament 
with their company, seated on horseback, and be- 
dizened with feathers, grease, necklaces of onions, 
and other attractions : the clown upon a donkey, 
with his face to the tail, was the master of the ce- 
remonies : he cleared the way for us, and did not 
forget becksheesh ; his face was white-washed, and 
he was clothed, which is no slight disguise to an 
Arab ; the ladies were without masks, which is a 
less happy conceit ; our soldier was of considerable 
use in rendering the corps de ballet content with 
the proffered becksheesh : he was also himself very 



30 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



liberal in the use of his whip ; returned on board, 
To avoid the stream, we frequently cut a cross 
country, occasionally aground, once so fast that we 
all got out to help the boat off. I am no longer 
astonished at the fecundity of the Delta : I was up to 
my knees in the alluvial deposit, and our military 
friend, being a very heavy man, was fairly planted : 
had thoughts of leaving him there. Regained the 
river : many boats going up, and though we could 
get within hail, not one would allow us to approach 
near ; at length, the soldier concealed his red cap ; 
we came alongside a djerm, and Don Whiskerandos 
jumped on board, without a word, but moving all 
things by his frown, he took Turkish possession of 
the best place — so much for the cap of liberty : 
the appearance of which, on board our boat, had 
always indicated a corsair. — He was extremely proud 
of being a Turk, and used to tell poor Non-fa-niente 
that it would stain his sword to take off Arab heads. 
I had a pocket pistol, which was a subject of great 
ridicule to him : he conceived it impossible that so 
short a barrel could be of any service, and almost 
enticed me to fire at him : his own pistol is nearly 
as long as a blunderbuss. 

Enter the canal of Menouf. — Menouf is a large 
village, the inhabitants call it a town : it is sur- 
rounded by an embankment of rubbish : at first it 
is almost impossible to conceive how such mounds 
can be formed, but, considering the cheapness of 



THE OASIS, MOT NT SINAI, ETC. 



SI 



crockery-ware, and the fragility of mud-houses, 
the laziness of people who never repair, and who 
are not compelled to carry rubbish beyond the out- 
skirts of the town, the wonder nearly ceases. At 
Menouf is a manufactory of mats, made of the 
rushes from Natron : they are exported throughout 
all Turkey ; no remnants of ancient buildings, ex- 
cept that in a mosque are some columns of cyppo- 
line and granite ; — columns are bought wholesale for 
this use. Left Menouf, and had some difficulty in 
finding a hole to hide our boat in : great apprehen- 
sion of land pirates. At day-break, drew our boat 
over land into a garden ditch, by which means we 
entered the canal of Carmen : moored at the mouth 
of it. — 7« A » M - entered the Damietta branch of 
the Nile, floated down to Semenhoud : the remains 
of an ancient building are here to be seen ; that is, 
a piece of masonry has been discovered, and re- 
covered; but it is uncovered as often as any one will 
give becksheesh. 

Left Semenhoud : in two hours landed on the 
west bank opposite to Wheesh, and in half an hour 
reached the ruins of Beybait : here was once a 
granite temple, the material, the style, and the 
hieroglyphics of which, rendered it perhaps one of 
the most beautiful in Egypt : there is not now one 
stone upon another, in the order they ought to be 
in— it is fallen into a mass like the temple of Her- 
cules at Girgenti. I was ruminating on the strength 



32 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



of Samson, when an Arab of the neighbouring 
village gave me the following tradition : Moham- 
med passing by this temple, applied to a Christian 
for a bit of bread : the Christian refused : the tem- 
ple fell immediately, and the town went to ruins ; 
to this, he added, " you Francs come here to look 
for treasure, because your ancestors built these 
temples ; there were a great many more in the king- 
dom, but Mohammed destroyed them all, and you 
are a blasted people such ideas naturally suggest 
themselves to Arab minds, when they see Francs 
carrying away mummies, with as much anxiety as 
if related to them, and blocks of masonry with as 
much satisfaction as if they had found the philoso- 
pher's stone. The relics of Beybait are worth the 
visit : the hieroglyphics are on granite, beautifully 
executed, and nothing to disturb you but owls and 
jackalls. 

Floated down to Mansoura : entered the canal 
leading to Menzaleh : our boatmen very unwilling, 
they had " never been there before, and the people 
might be savages ;" at length, with becksheesh in 
one hand, and stick in the other, persuaded them. 

At the village of Mersy we endeavoured to pro- 
cure some bread, but it was impossible : the Pasha's 
agents having accurately calculated to a tooth the 
quantity of grain requisite for the village, had sent 
the overplus to the Pasha's granary. A crowd of 
women and children came to the boat : I coin- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT STNAT, ETC. 



S3 



menced a sketch, all my subjects ran away shriek- 
ing. Cosa-fa begged of me to put up my pencil, 
the villagers imagined that I was writing charms, 
and he himself knew the force of magic ; he had 
been in love with a fair one who despised the 
charms of his face and fortune ; at length he pro- 
cured a written charm, and though neither himself 
nor his Dulcinea could read, she was so afraid that 
she acceded to his proposals. The charm had cost 
him a dollar : the Bank of England could not have 
penned any charm more serviceable. It is as dis- 
tressing as^ftis cll £^^ s ^^ D ^^^4 ne ^ ear an d su- 
perstition/of th^^oplg jn^eneral,|a pen will put 
them to flVl^ — a hat, though i^is^ooked upon as 
the ensign oS^^^rn^^ill Jgpir a field of work- 
men—will irritatelEh i e* ; ^o^sr and even the buffalo, 
that animal that used to alarm us, will break from 
its labour at the approach of a Franc. 

About four miles S. E. of Mersy is a mound of 
rubbish, to which we were directed in pursuance of 
our enquiries concerning antiquities. The waters 
were out — the way dangerous and intricate : at 
length a guide appeared, curiosity induced me, and 
money prevailed on him to proceed. A consider- 
able part of the distance we waded nearly breast 
high, for which we were half stripped, (N. B. 
leeches here), but as to temples, there are only two 
small parcels of worthless granite. The rushes that 
grow here are of a three-sided or prismatic form, 

D 



34 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



lately cut, perhaps the papyrus plant : if not, I 
have seen none since leaving Syracuse. Cattle 
upon the mound, and it was remarkable that where- 
ever a hoof had been impressed at the water's edge, 
the indenture was covered with a lamina of salt, 
having the appearance of ice, yet the water is per- 
fectly fresh, the sand alone is impregnated with 
salt. Those who work in salt-mines are subject to 
a complaint in the eyes ; perhaps the ophthalmia is 
in some measure to be attributed to the same cause. 
This excursion occupied four hours. A man in his 
own country will scarcely deviate from the road to 
see a lake or a cathedral ; in a strange land where 
he cannot move without danger and an interpre- 
ter, he pries into every thing. 

From Mansoura to Menzaleh cost us three days, 
between which latter place and Mersy we saw 
other rubbish mounds, but were informed that 
there were not even stones there. I had sufficiently 
cooled at Mersy not to doubt my informants. 

Menzaleh is a large town, and gives name to the 
lake, concerning which is a long account published 
with Denon's Egypt. Even here it was with great 
difficulty that we could procure bread and rice — 
Cosa-fa seemed to have had a prescience of famine 
when he objected to this route. The Pasha has 
stopped the communication between the lake and 
the canal, and our boatmen deny the practicability 
of drawing our skiff into the former. While Cosa- 

3 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC, 



35 



fa was running about the town, I was twisting my 
thumbs on a dung-hill, at the water's edge, for my 
Franc dress had subjected me in the bazar to ridi- 
cule and abuse. In this situation two females held 
up a veil and gown, making signs to me — any thing 
is better than ennui — I put on the disguise, and fol- 
lowed them. On my return to the boat, Cosa-fa 
pointed out the imprudence of my conduct, and 
threatened to quit me. I had run some risk, or 
perhaps it was a joke on the part of the fair incog- 
nita to break a hole through the wall (mud), and 
desire me to make my escape ; fortunately " The- 
tis had put out the light, and drawn the modest 
curtains of the night." 

Succeeded in dragging our bark into the canal 
of Menzaleh : taken in tow by the Damietta pas- 
sage-boat. A rapid sail of four hours brought us 
to the garden of palm-trees above mentioned. The 
lake of Menzaleh abounds with fish and fishermen. 
A beggar living on a scrap of an island, about five 
yards square, called loudly as we passed for his 
daily bread, which was thrown to him. Rows of 
pelicans stretched along the smooth surface of the 
water, they appear even more beautiful when on 
wing ; they resemble swans, while at the same time 
part of their plumage is rose-coloured, and glistens 
to the sun. 

No inn at Damietta : lodged in the house of the 
English Vice-consul. His table is hospitably spread : 

d 2 



36 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



beds there are none ; he allows ns to sleep upon 
the boards, but the musquitoes will not. Thus far 
our journey has been tedious and unsatisfactory. 
One village is remarkable as having a house one 
story high : it must belong to a person of conse- 
quence. It contains a mat, a coffee-pot, cups, spoon, 
bowl, earthen vessel, water-jars, pomkins, and two 
stones for pounding corn ; hoopoes, hawks, doves, 
and sparrows abound, and live together in apparent 
harmony. 

Dined with Signor ~ , rich, fat, and jolly. 

To be rich is to be fat — fat is an evil less than care. 
There are many extraordinary things in his house ; 
excellent and various wines, with a free use there- 
of, knives, forks, and chairs ; books, and the assur- 
ance that your host can read and write. Dinner 
was served a l'Anglaise — at least so it was thought 
to be ; excepting a capon, its head stretched out 
like that of a flying wild duck, and its legs in the 
act of supplication, all the meats were in scraps, 
according to the custom of a country where knives 
and forks are unknown, and though we had also 
these rareties, even our host's son did not under- 
stand the use of them, but eat with his fingers. A 
slave was in attendance upon each to brush away 
the flies. These animals seem to have emigrated 
from Alexandria. Dinner was finished by half-past 
one — mid-day : water was poured over our hands, 
followed by eau de rose. Pipes and coffee were 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 3J 

then served, and our host retired to his " siesta." 
He generally reads himself to sleep, his library fur- 
nishes plenty of soporifics. 

The common wine in use here is imported from 
Cyprus in goat's skins ; it is sold at about a penny 
a gallon, but is not worth so much : it tastes of the 
skin. There is no memento of St. Louis and the 
Crusade, save the name. I purpose visiting Sann 
and Pelusium — the Cashiff has lent me his own fa- 
vourite slave as a guard, and at Matarieh we are 
to be furnished with a shekh as guide. 



38 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



CHAPTER V. 

MATARIEH — SANN — BURIAL PLACE — TANITIC BRANCH 

OM FAREDGE BUBASTIC BRANCH BEDOUINS 

DJIBEL ROMANO PELUSIUM TINNEH TEN- 

NYS. 

On board our little skiff once more. The slave 
lent to be our guard is a black, in himself a host, 
armed with a brace of horse pistols, a sabre, and a 
firelock. In four hours landed at Matarieh. Mata- 
rieh gives name to two small islands covered with 
wretched habitations ; the trade consists in salt 
fish and podargue : the former is in perfection, if 
I may judge by my nose. Tame pelicans in con- 
stant attendance to receive the overplus of the mi- 
raculous draughts of fishes taken at this place. 
The price of a pelican, two piastres, one shilling. 
Delayed here the night for a guide. The shekh 
sent in that capacity, has a patriarchal appearance. 
Steer for Sann — arrive in twelve hours. 

Four a. m. — A large boat alongside. Hailed by 
the Cavaliere Frediani and M. Gemini ; the latter 
is " chancellor," i. e. secretary to the English con- 
sul at Damietta. At Sann are six obelisks, their 
bases vary from six to seven feet ; on each a per- 
pendicular row of hieroglyphics, all prostrate, but 
it appears that they did stand in a direct line drawn 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



39 



E. and W. in length about one hundred and sixty 
yards, at either end are blocks of granite, so that 
this place was probably once worth seeing — for 
further particulars enquire of Denon. Upon one 
of the highest mounds is a heap of bricks and 
stones — every passing Mussulman adds something 
to the pile. I was requested to do the same ; it is 
the burying place of a shekh or saint ; the object 
is to perpetuate his memory — Paraded a small 
village in search of provisions; — surrounded by the 
astonished natives. The object of curiosity, a hat. 
A man requested permission to put mine upon his 
head — for he had seen the consuls in the Levant, 
who, notwithstanding their Eastern robes, wear a 
hat in token of freedom ; and he wished to be free* 
Those who were not acquainted with this property 
of the hat of Fortunatus, laughed immoderately 
at it. 

Agreed to accompany the Cavaliere to the Ta- 
int ic branch, and to coast the lake. While I slept, 
blackee gave orders to moor in the sedge ; waking, 
I missed the other boat ; after four hours' search, 
rejoined it ; accepted the offer of going aboard ; 
dismissed Cosa-fa, Non-fa-niente and Othello ; the 
black refused to go, and stating that he was the 
favourite of the governor, and I only a Christian, 
he ordered both boats home, he also threatened 
the men of the other with a bastonade for daring 
to bring Christians on the lake without permission ; 



40 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



the men who know the power of a favourite slave, 
were inclined to obey him, and it was with some 
difficulty that I changed my quarters ; blackee in- 
sisted on coming also, he fired his pistols and re- 
loaded them, he then put his bundle into our boat, 
it was thrown back and he submitted ; gave Cosa-fa 
a note to the Consul at Rosetta — refused also to 
take the shekh, till being informed that he was ne- 
cessary to our safety, and that any accident which 
might happen to us, would be visited upon him, 
gave assent ; proceeded by the Tanitic branch to 
the opening "Om Faredge." This mouth is about 
one hundred yards in width but too shallow for 
even our boat to pass ; dolphins sported round ; 
the shekh requested me not to fire at them, as the 
crew classically believe that they assist drowning 
mariners. — Do they not give notice of storms ? 

From Om Faredge directed our course towards 
the Bubastic branch. I went on shore shooting, 
the Cavaliere, the Cancelliere, the Shekh, and an- 
other joined me — proposed to visit Pelusium and a 
Bedouin encampment. Three hours' walk, arrive 
at the " Bubastic mouth,' 5 which we forded, knee 
deep, a hundred yards wide, soon came within sight 
of a long dark rag, flitting in the wind, and this 
the Shekh informed us to be the out-post of the 
Bedouins — not in our route, but it was judged 
better to visit than to be visited : we marched to- 
wards it, our guide giving us instructions as to our 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



41 



line of conduct — we were now within a few paces 
of the tent, when seven men sprang upon their 
feet, four of them drew pistols from their belts, 
and presented them at our heads, a fifth raised an 
axe, and the elder of the party, uttering a tre- 
mendous yell, ran forward towards our Shekh, 
wielding a club, as if to kill and bury him at a 
blow j in an instant he dropped this herculean wea- 
pon, and placing his right hand against the right 
hand of the Shekh, and then on his own breast, 
said, " Salam Alekum — -health to you j" this was 
answered by Alekum Salam, and a similar move- 
ment of the hand ; the same ceremony was per- 
formed respectively and respectfully by each indi- 
vidual of our party with each individual of theirs ; 
and thus having given and received the Arab assur- 
ance of friendship, we were at liberty to consider our- 
selves safe ; to take aim at a person is meant as a com- 
pliment which is sometimes increased by firing.- — I 
hate compliments, particularly in the Arab fashion of 
" presenting arms the feu de joie may become 
a ruse de guerre. When once an Arab has given 
his faith, his hospitality is inviolable. We sat down 
cross-legged ; coffee was prepared ; the Arabs swore 
4 4 by the Sun," that we were safe, and offered to 
conduct us to their encampment at the Roman 
mountain, " Djibbel Romano." One of these Be- 
douins, an invalid, requested advice, concluding 



A VJS1T TO EGYPT, NUB J A, 



that we, being Francs, were of necessity skilled in 
medicine, though not one of us had more right to 
the title of doctor than if we had bought diplomas, 
if such things are to be bought ; our sick friend 
offered us house-room for " twenty-one days," and 
every other requisite that Bedouins can offer ; ar- 
ranged that he should accompany us to his party at 
Djibbel Romano, and to ourboaton the following day 
for medicine : thus his illness insured our welfare ; 
— four hours walk, and quite dark, when the assault 
of dogs warned us of our approach to the habita- 
tions of men or Bedouins : a party were seated 
on the sand round a glimmering fire ; an occasional 
ray exhibited them to horrible advantage : ten men, 
black beards, white teeth, half clothed, and com- 
pletely armed ; what would Mrs. Ratcliffe have 
given to have seen them, or I to have been away. 
Banditti when outbandittied on the stage are gen- 
tlemen in appearance compared to these Bedouins : 
they sprang up, as if taken by surprize ; we per- 
formed the ceremony of Salam Alekum with the 
whole party ; in a few minutes a blazing fire was 
furnished by hospitality and curiosity ; our number 
increased by at least fifty, all armed, for arms are 
the first, and clothes a very secondary considera- 
tion. Pipes, coffee, boiled rice, and bread, which, 
in form and thinness, resembling pancakes, were 
soon prepared. These inhabitants of the desert 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC 



43 



se practise the laws of good breeding" with a punc- 
tilio that even Frenchmen would call ultra-polite : 
whenever an elderly man made his appearance, 
the whole party invariably stood up, and, uncon- 
scious of the applause that such conduct once 
obtained, offered the seat, according to priority of 
years : women were gliding among the trees, more 
anxious to see than be seen ! Pride and curiosity 
of Arab women, if Arab women have any, are se- 
verely checked. — The Franc fowling-piece is greatly 
admired ; English gunpowder is compared with 
Turkish : the grains of the latter are nearly as large 
as mustard-seed. Having been drawn on this ex- 
pedition from a shooting walk, I had come without 
either coat, shoes, or stockings, and now had lei- 
sure to feel the cold— requested to be shown to my 
bed-room ; did not expect a flat candlestick and a 
pan of coals, but having been invited to a residence 
for three weeks, I did hope for a hut of some kind ; 
there was not one without women, and to be ad- 
mitted into the same apartment with the females, 
would be an innovation unprecedented in Arabian 
customs, we were therefore desired to huddle to- 
gether in the sand, and a rush mat, big enough for 
the great bed at Ware, was spread over the whole 
party ; twelve Bedouins mounted guard in a cir- 
cle round us ; one of them taking notice that I 
placed my fowling-piece carefully by my side, tied 
an old gun-barrel to a stick, without a lock, and offer- 



44 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



ed it to my neighbour ; our guards disencumbered 
themselves of their clothes, and placing them upon 
their heads, were soon asleep in the sand ; we did 
not indulge in bed after day-break ; a sheep was 
killed, anddejeune sans fourchette prepared — bread, 
rice, coffee, boiled mutton, and pipes — fingers sup- 
plied the place of forks — this hastily finished, we 
took leave. Scrambled up a lofty ridge of sand, 
here, it is said, that Pompey was killed, and hence 
the name Djibbel Romano. Notwithstanding the 
fatigue of the ascent, we were followed by all the 
invalids of the village, not only those really unwell, 
but those who fancied themselves so, and others 
who begged for physic, that they might be so; 
prescribed for them all ; for many of them a bas- 
tonade, which prescription was received with great 
good humour. A plain of sand leads to Pelusium, 
a lamina of salt, about an inch in thickness, and 
of a pale rose colour, forms a surface over many 
hollow places (natural salt beds) in the sand ; ac- 
companied by the invalid and three others — four 
hours' march brought us to the ground-work of Pe- 
lusium. Pelusium is said to have been the " key 
of Egypt," and to have been " sacked three times 
there is nothing to disprove the latter assertion ; of 
its boasted magnificence four red granite columns 
remain, and some few fragments of others. Castle 
of Tinneh — a small stone building — broken honey- 
combed guns— reached our boat at 4. r. m. The 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



45 



Bedouins come on board for becksheesh ; gave 
them the value of six shillings in money, some me- 
dicine, coffee, tobacco, three bullets, and an empty 
bottle ; one of them asked for brandy ; not having 
any, I offered him wine ; his hand went instanta- 
neously to his sword ; a Mohammedan considers it 
an insult to be offered wine, and he would have 
avenged it had he dared ; he muttered something 
about "prey in the desert;" two of them re- 
turned, and two requested permission to accom- 
pany us to Damietta. It was dark ere we regained 
the Lake of Menzaleh : as we entered into it, we 
were hailed, and ordered to bring to ; could dis- 
tinguish two large boats moored in the sedge ; re- 
turned no answer to the first order ; to the second, 
asked by whose command ? " The governor of 
Matarieh is here in person." The cavalier who 
has lived some time in Egypt, concluded that it 
was a ruse des Bedouins, for they are generally 
reputed robbers, and two were now on board our 
boat ; held these two in surveillance, and crowded 
all sail ; the two boats followed, and, notwithstand- 
ing our repeated threats to fire, still approached ; 
fired across the bows of the nearest : " no bono" 
was the reply, " you have shot at the governor ;" 
the boats sheered off and we pursued our course 
to the islet of Tenneys, where we moored about 
four hours after midnight. At day-break, dis- 
covered two candjies, a broad red flag flying, and 



46 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



two swallow-tailed pennants " the governor, really 
the governor" was the reiterated exclamation of 
the frightened shekh and crew ; while we were 
disputing what ought to done, two slaves from the 
governor's boat came to ours with — provisions. — 
We now agreed that the English secretary should 
go and demand satisfaction for the conduct of 
Blackee ; this was followed by the present of a live 
sheep, (a peace-offering) the governor himself de- 
scended from his boat and we went to meet him, 
told him that we came to desire that Blackee might 
be punished for his violence, the good old governor 
almost in tears replied " I have punished him for 
daring to return without you, do you wish for his 
head — I have brought you bread and meat, and 
water, and hearing that your boat was uncomfortable 
there is a candjy at your service, and when at Cairo 
you mention this affair to the Pasha, make it not 
against me" — went on board the governor's boat — 
coffee, sweetmeats, and pipes — returned to my own, 
found the slaves waiting for becksheesh. It is an 
insult to the master not to reward his servant, cus- 
tom requires it to be done in gold, and at least to 
the full value of the present ; one of the Bedouins 
seeing us at a loss, took the rag from his head, and 
offered us as much gold as we might desire. — The 
policy of the Pasha of Egypt induces him to show 
every attention to Francs, and the governor of 
Matarieh was therefore afraid lest any complaint 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



4? 



should be made against himself ; the slave who 
knew his own power over his master had treated 
us as Turks ordinarily treat Christians ; slaves in 
general have an ascendancy over their employers, 
and are not to be killed and stuffed for a museum 
ad libitum. 



48 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



CHAPTER VI. 

TENNYS TOOMAH TOMB OF A SHEKH DEBBEE— 

TMAI JACKALLS COSA-FA AND NON-FA-NIENTE 

RETROSPECT OF THE DELTA. 

Tennys has been thoroughly ransacked — the vir- 
tuosi have carried away every sign of its former 
grandeur, except a small cistern encrusted similarly 
to those of the " Sette sale" at Rome. To the west 
is the island of Toomah, here is the burial place of 
a shekh — a small room hung with strings of wooden 
beads like a button-maker's shop ; in the centre is 
a square frame covered with green cloth, on which 
is embroidered a text from the Koran. One of our 
boatmen who wears a long string of coarse beads 
round his neck, is said to be a priest, he entered 
this chamber uttering dismal yells, and then shut- 
ting his eyes, and reiterating " Allah hu," conti- 
nued walking round till I complained of the ear- 
ache, he then tore off a scrap of the cloth, gave it 
to me, and demanded becksheesh. 

Visited the mouth " Debbee," it is as impassable 
as that of the Bubastic branch, and is called the 
" False Mouth." 

Returned to Damietta. — Here we found Cosa-fa 
and Non-fa-niente. The note to the Consul at 



THE OASTS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC, 



49 



Kosetta was written on so small a piece of paper, 
that Cosa-fa thought it resembled too much an order 
for a bastonade to contain any good, and the poor 
fellow was afraid to go home ; for had he returned 
without a certificate of my safety, he would have 
been imprisoned, and had he not also had a good 
character of himself, he would have been baston- 
aded : such regulations, though a melancholy ne- 
cessity, are a restraint upon guides, and ensure the 
safety of the traveller ; in the more dangerous parts 
it is by no means uncommon for a guide to leave 
his son in hostage for the traveller's safety ; the 
sins of the father are visited upon the children in 
many cases by the Turkish law. 

Gave up my design of navigating the Moez canal, 
on finding that it would cost ten additional days, and 
afford no gratification, we had already lost thirty to 
the same effect — renewed my engagement with Cosa- 
fa, taking care at the same time to provide myself 
with a bastonading stick, notwithstanding which, 
we have been six days on our voyage to this place, 
Boolac. It is but a cowardly thing to beat an Arab, 
they are so used to it. The English who complain 
so much of the want of liberty, have at least that 
of returning a blow. Among our delays, is to be 
reckoned a stoppage at Mansoura, for the purpose 
of visiting Tmai ; the waters were unabated, and, 
with some difficulty, we procured a rude species 
of fen duck boat— three of us contrived to balance 

E 



50 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA ? 



ourselves in it, and leaving Mansoura at 12 o'clock 
about half past four reached Ttnai ; but a few years 
since, here stood a temple, which, according to re- 
port, was one of the least injured and most beautiful 
in Egypt; what ought to have preserved it has caused 
its destruction : it is now in worse condition than 
the temple at Beybait, there is scarcely a stone 
unturned and unbroken ; " if gold be not concealed 
in them," say the Arabs, " why are the Francs at 
the trouble of visiting, and the expense of carrying 
away these stones." Nearly sunset, and I still 
looking, but in vain, for any object that might sa- 
tisfy my labour and curiosity, when I was startled 
by most dismal cries, such as Herod would have 
ordered by particular desire for the entertainment 
of Macbeth's witches ; running suddenly towards 
the spot whence the sound proceeded, I discon- 
certed an assembly of jackalis at their evening 
conversazione ; their tones are the most unhappy 
variations of the dying howl of a dog, and the 
amorous ditty of a cat ; I would fain have shot 
any of the serenaders. We again balanced our- 
selves in the canoe, and about two hours after mid- 
night regained Mansoura, not only cold and tired, 
but having been for many hours wet to the skin, 
owing to the dew ; " it droppeth like the gentle dew 
from heaven," with a vengeance. 

Left Mansoura at day-light — arrived at the head 
of the Delta — the pyramids are seen, and the Mo - 



THE OASIS, MOUNT STNAT, ETC. 



51 



kattam range of mountains—the former do not sur- 
prise me, even though I have not seen a hill since 
landing in Egypt — except dunghills ; however, de- 
scriptions are seldom realized, and anticipation sel- 
dom gratified. 

The rocks of the Mokattam even please me — I 
have grown tired of the everlasting fertility of the 
Delta : Spring would be tiresome were it always 
Spring ; the voyage upon the whole is wearisome ; 
the best part of it is— the end. The evils of a 
small boat preponderate heavily against the advan- 
tages of it, especially as I forgot to hoist a flag; 
being therefore taken for fellahs, soldiers more than 
once insisted upon a passage to Cairo, under threat 
of firing into us ; but, excepting the one case men- 
tioned, I paid no attention to them. Even our 
boatmen were tired of their agreement ; Non-fa- 
niente used frequently to complain that he slept 
like a dog — -and so he did, very like a dog, and did 
very little else ; nor would he let the boat do any 
thing at the prescribed times of prayer, for which 
purpose he always went on shore ; he bows his head 
to the earth four times at sun-rise, the same at mid- 
day, the same at 4 p. m. five times at sun-set, and 
six half an hour afterwards, with the most scru- 
pulous care turning himself towards the tomb of 
the Prophet. Cosa-fa thinks more of temporal con- 
cerns ; he has lately bought a second wife, and, 
not content with two wives, intends purchasing a 



52 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



slave ; upon my asking him, in the event of the 
slave proving a mother, whether the child also 
would be a slave ? He answered, " No. Even 
you Christians do not sell your children, do you ?" 
" No ; but some of you Africans do." The Eng- 
lish used to export their own children as slaves, 
but are now making reparation to human nature. 
Cosa-fa, in addition to his two wives, has the mis- 
fortune to be afflicted with the ophthalmia ; he 
takes snuff in abundance, and thus he endeavours 
to clear one sense by stopping up another. Though 
he does reckon upon the purchase of a slave, he is 
averse to the labour that is to procure the means 
of payment ; he contrasts the cold night-dew with 
his two wives, and frequently bursts out with the 
exclamation, " I have eighteen dollars, what do I 
want with a thousand ?" I, however, do not allow 
him to be lazy y though he does speak the sentiment 
of a lazaronL His second wife cost him ten dol- 
lars, and he married her without the ceremony of 
wooing. Having a certain sum of money to spare, 
he desired an old matchmaker to go in search of 
the most eligible female to be found at his price. 
I need scarcely add, that the matchmaker is a wo- 
man ; women only are allowed to associate with 
women in this country ; he was then introduced ; 
and, on approbation on his side, the ceremony soon 
took place ; the ten dollars that he paid are ex- 
pended in a wardrobe and household furniture - 9 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



and should his wife not be — as women ©wi to 
be— who love their lords," he has the option of re- 
turning her, paying with her five dollars more for 
wear and tear. —I know not whether in England in 
the system of huddling, money is paid upon taking 
a wife upon trial. Cosa-fa was also doctor— the 
dews of Lower Egypt, which often last till 10 o'clock 
in the morning as substantial as a London fog oc- 
casioned to me a dysentery ; restricted to rice boiled, 
and a little burnt oil in it, I was cured in three 
days — the ever-to-be-lamented Burckhardt died of 
this complaint. Provisions not exorbitant^ — a 
sheep or a goat three or four shillings — a capon 
three-pence — a pigeon one half-penny, and eggs 
three-pence per hundred — the people complain bit- 
terly of the taxes, eggs were lately only one penny 
per hundred. I generally walked the day's journey 
shooting — my boatmen would never eat of a bird 
that fell dead to the gun ; but if it chanced that a 
bird was wounded, one of them would run up, 
wring the head off and bleed it. I remember that 
the Jews in London are as particular in this 
respect— delicate inconvenience ! In my shooting 
excursions I could never find a stone or pebble— 
the country is a lump of mud, and such is the fer- 
tility of the alluvial deposit, that manure and culti- 
vation are scarcely required— the dung is carefully 
collected— formed into cakes— stuck against the 
cabins— dried in the sun, and transported to Cairo 



54 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



for the use of the ovens — it answers the purpose of 
turf — wood is very scarce. A village of the Delta, 
seen at a little distance, always reminded me of 
Caracalla's baths ; but, upon closer inspection, it 
would seem as if a large mud barrack had been 
erected, and then thrown down pro bono publico ; 
those who could get four-sided rooms are better 
off than the generality, and even in these the aper- 
tures for doors and windows are but roughly kicked 
through— there is scarcely a house too high to be 
overlooked by an English grenadier, — excepting 
officers and the grenadier guards. The necessary fur- 
niture is comprised in coffee-pot, cups, water jars, 
& mat, and two stones for pounding corn. The 
fellah, or labourer, wears a smock-frock, like our 
husbandmen — colour, capuchin brown — the women 
are half clothed in a blue smock, which is left open 
in front, as if proud of showing their breasts — 
their breasts hang down, and swing about like a 
long watch-riband and bunch of seals — it is not 
owing to the hardness of whicli if their children 
choose to have snub noses — a blue 'kerchief is 
thrown over the head and held by the teeth — in- 
variably masked — eye-let holes being cut after the 
fashion of the Venetian domino — it is easy to per- 
ceive that the circumference of the eye is tattoed 
with blue — the veil is wrongly applied ; surely the 
faces of these blue devils are not so unseemly as 
their eternal breasts — not content with be-blueing 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



55 



their eyes, they be-orange their nails with henneh 
— -wallnut skin juice would give nearly the same 
colour — not ashamed of showing their breasts — to 
be seen without a veil would be to forfeit every 
claim to respect — the greatest compliment that can 
be paid to a woman, is to address to her the word 
"Mustoor — Oh ! you veiled one it must be allowed 
that such necks do not excite familiarity — the veils 
are generally ornamented with gold or silver pieces 
of money, which are perforated and fastened at the 
edges — the person of a woman is sacred— the men 
spin — the women fetch water from the river, which 
they carry in large jars upon the head — they rince 
them scrupulously, and immediately afterwards fill 
them at the very spot while they are standing up to 
their knees in mud, and while other people are wash- 
ing — it reminds me of Anstey in the " New Bath 
Guide," speaking of the pump, he says, " and 
while little Tabby was washing her," &c. — the wo- 
men cross the deep waters on the backs of buffaloes 
— the Picture of Europa, by Rubens, in the Cam- 
pidogiio is never to be forgotten, but in that, the 
heroine has a breast divine, 



56 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA., 



CHAPTER VIL 

CAIRO THE NAME THE TOWN PALACE — -JOSEPH S 

WELL— DIVAN JOSEPH'S ASYLUM MATARIEH 

HELIOPOLIS A MOSQUE LAMENTATIONS INTRO- 
DUCTION TO THE PASHA. 

Boolac — day-break, and I am still two miles dis- 
tant from the capital of Egypt, " The Grand Cairo." 
Let me have a hackney coach : "Si Signore, Sig- 
nor si," resounded from a crowd of Facchini, and 
donkies were immediately brought. Is there no- 
thing else to be had ? yes, camels, but neither with- 
out some trouble. The camelliers and asiniers com- 
mence fighting for the base lucre of a few paras, 
half farthings— they fight so well for these that they 
deserve encouragement. At length, mid the show 
of camels and donkies, of the two evils I choose the 
least. My luggage is carried to the custom-house. 
The Turks are sufficiently enlightened to have cus- 
tom-houses. Arrived at Cairo a Janissary is sent to 
pass my trunks, and to protect the boatmen— Co- 
sa-fa is terribly afraid lest any soldier should take 
a fancy to his bark, and carry him still farther from 
his two wives. 

Cairo is known by those to whom it belongs by 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



57 



the name of " Mesr" only, formerly written " Mesr 
el Kahira," — Kahira a Saracen queen. Mesr is 
also applied to the whole country. Mesraim, grand- 
son of Noah — Egypt — yEgyptus— see Quaresmius. 
There is no species of mistakes so common, at the 
same time almost unavoidable, and almost inexcus- 
able, as that which attends the names of places — 
every nation adopts its own method of either writ- 
ing or of pronouncing the name of any place, 
especially if of consequence. The capital of France 
is the same to an Englishman and Frenchman in 
writing ; but an Englishman travelling in that coun- 
try would never find his way to Paris if he used 
his own pronounciation. A Frenchman neither 
writes nor pronounces the word London. Con- 
stantinople is called Estambol, because the Greeks, 
speaking of going to their principal town, use the 
expression 6S d$ rh snW." London, for the same 
reason, would be called " town." 

The epithet st Grand," was applied to Cairo on 
account of its extent and magnificence, because 
that in the time of Mohammed it was considered a 
day's journey to traverse the city- — but now an 
hour is sufficient. " Its magnificence excited a 
smile" in those days, and now 66 two different 
causes the same effect may give." The streets, 
if such they can be called, seldom exceed two 
yards in width, they appear always full of peo- 
ple ; but the plague spreads by contact, and if the 



58 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

accounts of its ravages are true, where does this 
\ ast and fearless population come from ? The Pasha 
has a carriage, a cardinal's at second-hand, similar 
to our Lord Mayor's waggon. How fortunate it 
is that there are not two carriages in Egypt, I 
know of only one street so wide as Cranbourn Al- 
ley. Franc street has a strong gate fastened every 
night \ it resisted the attempts of the Albanian sol- 
diery in their last insurrection — such gates are fre- 
quent throughout the city, so that in the event of 
a riot the insurgents are easily trapped. Three 
inns — one has a garden, convenient in the plague 
season. The citadel is at the extremity of the town, 
at the foot of the Mokattam mountains — is com- 
manded by a modern fortress — and that again by a 
neighbouring height — on dit that the French be- 
sieging it, planted their cannon on the nearest 
mosque — the Mussulmen would not fire at their 
place of worship — they make a virtue of surren- 
dering. 

The Pasha lives occasionally in the citadel — and 
hie et ubique — nobody knows where that is — he 
moves from one place to another without form or 
notice — the same is told of all tyrants. 

The palace — a small court -yard— a room en- 
crusted with marble is fitted up as a bath : a foun- 
tain of cold water plays constantly in the centre— 
a cascade of warm falls over rocks and shells into 
a reservoir. The bath is the luxury of the East, 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 5<) 

and more necessary there than carriages and plate 
with us. The principal room is of fair proportions, 
but not remarkable for any thing else, except an 
old English kitchen clock — the furniture is limited 
to a carpet and settee ; the carpet does not cover 
the whole floor. A space is left as a shoe-hole, for 
all shoes must be taken off at entering — the Turk 
sits upon his carpet. Pictures are not allowed by 
the Mohammedan law — at least nothing so idola- 
trous as the likeness of any thing that breathes in 
the heaven above, nor on the earth, nor in the 
water — in lieu of pictures, texts from the Koran 
are framed and glazed; they are considered to 
increase in beauty according to the quantity of 
flourishes and illuminations that adorn them, which, 
like the illustrations of learned commentators, puz- 
zle the reader — considering how many enigmatical 
flourishes are interspersed among the letters before 
us, and how few people are able to read even plain 
text, these must be really beautiful — an Arabic 
scholar with me decyphered one only — to complete 
the appearance of unfurnished lodgings, pen and 
ink are wanting — this is the more extraordinary, as 
the Viceroy has lately learnt to sign his name, 
Mohammed Aly.— The Levantine that can write, 
seldom fails to show his learning— in general he 
exhibits a pen and ink in his bosom, like a tax ga- 
therer, and seems as proud of the " order of the 
ink-stand," as a member of the'" Legion d'honneur/ 



60 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



is of an inch of riband, or a youth is of a medal 
that he earned in fighting against — his will. One 
of the charges against the masters of the mint, who 
were lately hung at Constantinople, was the ex- 
pensiveness of their ink-stands : ornamented with 
brilliants — learning and pride — but the accomplish- 
ment of being able to write does not obtain among 
Turks, in their days of ignorance, " the benefit of 
the clergy." 

The well of Joseph,— Yussuf, the sultan, is 
creusee in the rock of the citadel to the depth of 
280 feet — a cow is stationed half way down, and 
draws the water from the bottom by a line of pots, 
another cow at the surface draws the water to the 
top by similar means. 

Joseph's palace — alias hall — alias divan — alias 
granary, a ruined saloon, containing thirty-two well 
proportioned columns of red granite, four feet dia- 
meter — the view hence commands the town, ceme- 
teries, river, and pyramids. 

Small Copt monastery at Old Cairo, the vault 
under it is called " Joseph's Asylum," " Joseph 
the carpenter," as distinguished from Joseph the 
well-digger above-mentioned — here, so the monk 
informs us, Joseph, Mary, and our Saviour took 
refuge, when flying from Herod : three recesses in 
the rock are pointed out as their respective couches 
— this lodgement is at present only knee-deep in 
water, because the Nile is falling. The monks of 



THE OASTS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



61 



this place used formerly to exhibit a nail and a 
plank of Noah's ark, and to point out the identical 
spot where Moses was found in the rushes. 

The monument of the gallant Kleber is destroy- 
ed, the mound on which his murderer was impaled 
at the moment that the corpse was borne by, is still 
pointed out. 

Among the dilapidations of the suburbs live the 
female outcasts of day-light society — -the word for- 
nication might be aptly derived from such places 
of abode— the caves whence comes the term are said 
to be in Arabia — women of character no longer du- 
bious are prohibited residing within the town : what 
effect would such a law have on the population of 
JLondon. No Christian is permitted to enter these 
" open sepulchres :" my servant was severely 
beaten for attempting it. 

Matarieh — Heliopolis, five miles from Cairo, re- 
mains one obelisk, partner of that which stands at 
Rome, on Monte Citorio. Returning to citadel, 
visited a large dilapidated mosque : fountains and 
columns, without taste or order, form the use and 
ornaments of a mosque — there was nobody at pray- 
ers — a stage without actors. The minaret resem- 
bles a fantastic chimney, or a light-house. In lieu 
of bells, for bells are an abomination to the Turks, 
is a plank suspended, which is beaten with two 
wooden mallets — the clerk calls the Mussulmen^to 
prayers, telling them, " 'tis a wicked world, 'tis a 



62 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



wicked world." This summons is echoed from 
minaret to minaret, and is obeyed — Mohammedans, 
Jews, Catholics, Greeks, Ghebers, Brachmins are 
more observant of " outward forms/' than Protest- 
ants, especially those of the " English religion." 
Christians, Jews, and Mohammedans have distinct 
sabbaths as well as forms of worship — Friday is the 
sabbath of the latter. 

Passing on a sabbath evening, near the cemete- 
ries of the lower classes, I was startled by howls and 
lamentations — at first conceived that it might be a 
second edition of the jackalls of Tmai, or the accom- 
paniment of a funeral, at that moment taking place ; 
but found upon inquiry that the sounds were hu- 
man, that the parties who were the innocent causes 
of so much noise had been dead, perhaps a week, 
perhaps a year, and that the mourners were howl- 
ing over — any body when paid for it. The stench 
arising at this, the hour of dewfall, is intolerable, 
and, together with the imitations of the jackalls, 
would have assisted Lucretius in his description of 
a plague. The mourners are females, who sell their 
tears as a monk does his prayers. The simple cus- 
tom of strewing a friend's grave with flowers is at 
once pleasing and respectful. 

Introduction to the Pasha — he received us in the 
court-yard — seated on a sofa, and wielding a pipe 
— dressed like a private individual, as Turks of real 
consequence generally are, excepting on gal# days. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



63 



The Turk, like the English gentleman of thirty years 
ago, has economically transferred the gold lace 
from his own waistcoat to that of his servant. The 
Vice-consul and myself sat down on the sofa with 
him. Pipes are not offered, except to equals — coffee 
served up — no sugar — even though the Pasha him- 
self has a manufactory of that article — however, 
sugar does spoil coffee — the attendants ordered to 
withdraw — no pride, no affectation, even though 
the Pasha is an upstart. Remained nearly an hour 
discoursing on English horses, military force, the 
emerald mines at Cosseir, his son's victory over the 
Wahabees, and his expected triumphal entry.— 
Having taken leave, we were surrounded by all the 
officers of the court, whispering " becksheesh !" — 
referred these state beggars to the dragoman, who, 
I believe, sent them empty away. 

The Pasha has a vulgar low-born face, but a 
commanding intelligent eye. He was once a pri- 
vate soldier — the Turkish soldier fights individually 
1 — individual merit is noticed and rewarded — kill, 
burn, and destroy, is the passport to wealth and 
power — the individual bravery of an Englishman 
" in line" will procure at most a medal, and that 
is for his commander. Conscience never opposes 
a Turk's ambition. The treachery of the Pasha is 
well known ; but it may also be added, that it was 
on the sabbath day when he invited the Mamelukes 
to the^citadel, and massacred them. Ennin Bey is 



64 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



the only one that escaped — his horse leapt over the 
parapet, like leaping out of a four pair of stairs 
window. The horse was killed — the Bey intrust- 
ed himself to some Arabs, who, notwithstanding 
the offer of a large reward, would not deliver him 
up — the faith of an Arab is considered inviolable 
— a Turk has none. This instance of murder is 
by no means unique. Ex. gr. Chapwan Oglu, &c. 
The Pasha is a merchant, he monopolises the pro- 
duce of the whole country. Money is the idol of 
a Mohammedan ; and the Turk, so far from con- 
ceiving that a " rich man cannot enter into the 
kingdom of Heaven/' says, or is said to say, " the 
richer that a man dies, the nearer will be his seat 
to that of the Prophet." The eldest son of the 
Pasha used to complain of the taxes ; he was in 
consequence very popular with the radicals — he 
died suddenly, most probably of the plague : 
however, as state murders are more frequent in 
Turkey than elsewhere — report is very busy with 
the reputation of his father, — Distinguish between 
Turkish and Roman infanticide. 

Ibrahim Pasha, second son of the viceroy, has 
lately dismissed his purse-bearer, and delivered his 
treasury to the care of a Christian, " because that 
if a Mohammedan should break his trust, he could 
be only cashiered, but should a Christian wrong 
him in the " division of the twentieth part of one 
poor scruple," he should be deprived of his eyes, 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 65 

and nobody would exclaim against that." A fellah 
found a quantity of old silver, which he carried to 
Ibrahim, in expectation of a great and honourable 
reward. Ibrahim put him to the torture (baston- 
ade) to ascertain if the unfortunate finder had con- 
cealed any. This is the Turkish method of pur- 
chasing a seat in Heaven, near the Prophet, 



66 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



CHAPTER VIIL 

CAIRO — REVIEW—- TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF IBRAHIM 
PASHA — CARAVAN FROM MECCA CEMETERIES—* 

ALM AH— PYRAMIDS, 

Saw the infantry (Albanians) mustered. An at- 
tempt to drill these lawless ragamuffins occasioned 
the last insurrection — no marching and counter- 
marching, no playing at soldiers ; they, however, 
suffer themselves to be drawn up in line to listen 
to the music, if such it may be called, when pro- 
duced by drums and squeaking Moorish fifes in the 
hands of Turks ; a number of voices frequently 
chimed in, and destroyed the monotony y during 
this the soldiers were quiet j so much for the power 
of even such music over Albanians — the mu- 
sic of Orpheus made brutes to dance. At length 
there came a mighty voice from the castle window, 
" The sultan wishes health and fortune to you all 
this was answered, on the part of the soldiers, by 
a simultaneous inclination of the head, dropping 
first on the right shoulder then on the left — the 
head of a Turkish subject is very loose. It is nearly 
impossible to distinguish officers from privates ; 
every man provides himself with clothes and arms, 
according to his means ; there is only this family 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 6/ 

likeness among them, that pistols, sword, and a 
shirt, outwardly exhibited, are necessary ; these 
peculiarities remind me of the Highland cos- 
tume, but the national character is as dissimilar as 
the climate. An Albanian is not improved since 
the time of Alexander ; he is a soldier and a rob- 
ber ; he transfers his services from one master to 
another at option, his price is by the month about 
fifteen shillings : not that he is " shot at for six- 
pence per day,'* — he seldom waits for that. 

A messenger is arrived from Constantinople, he 
comes for becksheesh ; about 250,000/. is paid an- 
nually to the Porte as tax, and about the same sum 
given as becksheesh ; a messenger from the Gran 
Signor is seldom welcome ; he is sometimes an exe- 
cutioner, who stabs the devoted victim while offer- 
ing him a firman, which purports to invest him with 
some new dignity : the argument is, " if you are 
a subject, submit to death, if not, you are a rebel — 
die." 

Ibrahim Pasha having, as he says, conquered 
the Wahabi, made his triumphal entry this morn- 
ing 5 first came the cavalry ; horses of all sizes, 
ages, qualities, and colours ; an Arab fellah attend- 
ant upon each soldier carried a musket, every sol- 
dier carried a — pipe ; occasionally the prelude of a 
kettle-drum, hammered monotonously with a short 
leather strap, announced a person of consequence : 
the consequence consisted in eight or nine dirty 

f 2 



as 



A VrSIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



Arabs, carrying long sticks, and screaming tumuU 
tuously ; then came the infantry, a long straggling 
line of Albanians ; then a flag; then a long pole, 
surmounted by a gilt ball ; from this suspended a 
flowing tail of horse hair ; then a second flag, a 
second tail, a third flag, and the Pasha's third tail ; 
the victor — covered with a white satin gown, and a 
high conical cap of the same military material : this 
Caesar looked like a sick girl coming from the bath ; 
another tail, and a little boy on horseback — the 
fatherless grandson of the viceroy ; a Pasha of one 
tail : the mobility closed this Hudibrastic triumph. 
Having traversed the town, they vented their ex- 
ultation in gunpowder ; the Turkish soldiers, whe- 
ther in fun or earnest, always fire with ball ; and, 
on a day of rejoicing, it commonly happens that 
several are killed ; these accidents fall in general on 
Francs. Ibrahim Pasha was himself once wounded 
in this manner. We did not venture beyond the 
city gates ; even at the spot where we remained 
concealed, we saw two men borne by, and a hat 
wantonly threatened. The origin of the tail is this, 
the Turks being discomfited in an engagement, and 
having lost their flag, a chieftain cut off his horse's 
tail, and rallying the troops, fixed it on his spear 
—victory of course followed. 

Went to meet the caravan returning from Mecca ; 
a line of camels stretches along the desart, as far as 
the eye can distinguish ; the great body of thepil- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



09 



grims will arrive to-morrow ; but a light heart has 
more speed than four such feet as a camel's, and 
many have already reached their homes ; detached 
parties, with flags and drums, sally out of the town 
to meet their friends ; women, seated by the way- 
side, welcome the pilgrims with a very shrill, but 
harmonious, note*. I believe these women are the 
same that sell their sorrow in the cemeteries ; these 
notes of joy are occasionally contrasted by unbought 
grief ; among many instances, I saw a wretched 
woman throw herself in the camel's path, " her 
only child, her fatherless son was dead." The ca= 
mels are fitted up for the accommodation of more 
than one, not with elephantine castles, but strong 
cages made of the palm leaf ; these panniers are co- 
vered with silk, or humbler materials : there are even 
pilgrims who travel with their suite en prince, — - 
every Mussulman " must do, to be saved," a journey 
to Mecca — the laborious part of this forehand pu- 
nishment falls on poor innocent camels, horses, 
mules, and asses ; bigotry on ten toes carries many 
also through the journey ; offerings are sent to Saint 
Mohammed annually from the principal towns of 
the believers ; the sacrifice from Cairo is a carpet ; 
the camel that bears this tax upon Faith is deemed 
sacred, and is ever after useless. 

Joined the throng early this morning, and having 

More difficult of imitation, but less pleasing than fclie Swiss 
note in the Ranz des V" aches. 



70 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

waited due time, beheld the grand entree , the sa- 
cred camel carries a small tent, in which had been 
enclosed the devoted carpet, it is also covered with 
a green cloth, embroidered with Arabic characters, 
only to touch the hem of which seems the utmost 
desire of those who have not been to Mecca ; on 
the other hand, there is manifested a wish to pre- 
serve it from pollution : the latter is expressed by 
cudgels, which are wielded about in every direction, 
the dexterity of one party, and the devotedness of 
the other, are equally admirable : the sulky animal 
paces onward unconscious of its dignity and un- 
moved by the music and other discordant noises. 
Immediately following this camel comes one on 
which is a naked man ; I imagined that he was a 
sample of the conquered Wahabi, but was told by 
one person that he is a saint, and by another that 
he is a fool : they both agree, however, that a saint 
and a fool in the Turkish persuasion is the same 
thing. He was strapped securely to the saddle, 
but managed to distort all that part of his body 
which was at liberty into inconceivable positions, 
by this it was said that he was possessed of God : — 
now* he possessed of the devil, as depicted by Ra- 
phael, is not half so horrible ; — no oracle is produced 
by this inspiration, for a Turkish saint is supposed 
to have neither speech nor sense, in lieu thereof he 
has free admission to all harems, and every child 

* In the transfiguration. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC, 



71 



of which he may be the father, is an honour to the 
fortunate cuckold. — Gibbon praises the simplicity 
of Mohammedan institutions. — Among the most 
conspicuous and most welcome of the party were 
two greasy wrestlers, naked, except a pair of lea- 
ther inexpressibles, which together with their skins,, 
were smeared with anti-attrition, 

The cemeteries form a novel and not unpleasing 
appearance, the desert is studded with tombs, 
mosks, and mausolea ; these mansions of the dead 
would be preferable to the habitations of the living, 
were it not that the air is polluted, for nothing dis- 
turbs the solitude, except on a Friday, when the 
houses of mourning resound with the ullulu of 
Cairine women. As every Turk throughout the 
empire, from the Gran Signer downwards, is com- 
pelled to be of some profession, and as every pro- 
fession is distinguished by its peculiar head-dress, 
and the head-dress of the defunct is always repre- 
sented upon a staff at the head of the corpse^ a 
Turkish necropolis presents a singular appearance, 
In many of the sepultures, fancy is display ed 3 one 
reminded me of that of Abelard and Eloisa at Paris, 
but how different is the garden of Pere-1 a -chaise ! 
here no corpse is buried where vegetation can live, 
the air itself is pestiferous, and all is death and 
desolation. The tombs of the Mamelukes are going; 
fast to decay ; their boasted magnificence is limited 
to a gilt inscription ; the handsomest (if that term 
may be applied) monument in this Westminster 



72 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

Abbey, is that of the Pasha's son ; the materials of 
it have evidently served at least two purposes ; it 
is built of small thin slabs of stone, painted and 
covered with a gilt inscription; at the head is erected 
a staff bearing a Pashalic turban, and at the foot 
another with inscription, the whole is thought of 
such consequence as to be enclosed in a wire safe, 
at the side is spread a carpet for the accommoda- 
tion of those who may choose to pray or weep. The 
dragoman of Mr. Grey who had served six years 
under him, felt inclined to exhibit the latter part 
of the ceremony, he attributes his death to the 
plague. 

Cairo is nearly surrounded by rising mountains, 
a chain of hills formed by rubbish. Monte Testa- 
cio, the wonder of Rome is reduced to credibility, 
and, by comparison, to nothing. 

A party of soldiers meet a man driving donkies, 
each soldier chooses for himself and goes his way, 
the poor Arab, who has already been punished for 
resisting, knows not which to follow. 

Invited by Signor to see the almah, or 

dancing girls : females who contribute to the hap- 
piness of many ; entering the room I was struck 
with the magnificent appearance of some Levantine 
ladies — robes of crimson velvet, beautifully em- 
broidered with gold, small red caps crested with 
brilliants — the almah, seven in number, were seated 
cross legged in the divan or bay window, veiled 
like modest women, gowns blue, a shawl, in mock 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 7^ 

decency girded round their loins, their hair platted 
into thirty or forty cords ornamented with gold 
beads, and money, hanging down their backs : the 
master of the ceremonies, a species of ruffiano, gave 
out a song, line by line, which was caught up by 
one, two, or more voices — repeated in full chorus, 
and occasionally were added the sounds of a small 
drum and tambourine ; the whole was an excellent 
caricature upon the clerk and orchestra of a coun- 
try church. The Levantines, ladies in particular, 
who understood the words of love, were in perfect 
ecstasies, which were expressed by motions not at 
all consistent with the European ideas of decency. 
The master of the ceremonies frequently made 
the tour of the room, demanding " becksheesh." 
On the receipt of every half-crown, he handed it 
to the lady in waiting, offering up a song in praise 
of the liberal donor, whose gift, in lieu of being 
stated at live piastres, is multiplied into two or three 
thousand paras (half farthings) — the notes of exult- 
ation that follow every largess are dreadful. About 
ten o'clock we quitted this harmonic society for 
the supper table, the ladies preferred remaining 
where they were ; at our return we found the 
castagnets produced, and the almah having over- 
come all imaginary scruples, and sufficiently stimu- 
lated their courage by songs and brandy, were 
prepared to dance. The perfection of the art 
consists in the greatest variety of libidinous mo- 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



tions in the loins, with heaven in the eye, and in 
every gesture, not dignity, but love ; at the same 
time to advance slowly without raising the foot 
towards the object of — becksheesh, till knees meet 
knees and pulses mingle. Nothing can be so in- 
decent as the dancing of the * almah, except that 
of the modest women (Levantine modesty) — La 

Signora locked the door against her husband, 

and became herself the "Prima Ballerina the palm 
of merit was, however, for some time disputed by 
a lady and her unmarried daughter, but at length 
was given by acclamation. It was four o'clock in 
the morning ere I left the Bacchanalians ; the ladies 
seem inclined to persevere till now. The ceremony 
of demanding becksheesh is very often repeated, 
the principal set of almah will not furnish an 
evening's entertainment for less than two or three 
thousand piastres ; they consider themselves in 
their way, very Catalanies. The almah and the 
bath constitute the supreme delight and expense 
in the harems of the rich. 

The pyramids (of Ghiseh) seen from Cairo ap- 
pear to be about an hour distant. 

First December, Mr. George F. Grey of Uni- 
versity College, and myself with our interpreter 
hired donkies and rode to old Cairo, here we put 
our animals on board the ferry-boat, the Nile hav- 
ing now so far diminished, that it was impracticable 

* The dervishes or male almah are brutally disgusting. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SIX. A J, FTC. 



75 



to proceed by water to the pyramids, and not suf- 
ficiently so to allow a passage by land, we contrived 
to ascend the stream nearly to Sacchara ; as we 
approached the object of our curiosity " what do 
you think of these wonders of the world ?" was the 
question constantly bandied between Grey and 
myself, to which came the invariable reply " nothing 
more thaxl a pile of bricks. " We arrive at the sphinx 
which is within five hundred yards of the pyramid, 
and our opinion remains unaltered. The sphinx 
has been lately found to be a perfect figure, formed 
of the living rock. The sand has again accumu- 
lated, only the head, neck, and outline of the back, 
as heretofore, are now visible : we are by this time 
surrounded by a dozen Arabs, who insist upon 
being our guides ; their civility is not ow T ing to 
their strength, — had w r e been unarmed they would 
not have been at so much trouble to obtain our 
money. Arrived within an hundred paces of the 
monument of Cheops, we at length acknowledge 
that it is "one of the wonders of the world." 
There being no neighbouring object, with which to 
compare it, we had hitherto had no scale where- 
by to judge of its height ; we were also till now 
deceived by the purity of the atmosphere, the 
upper gradations being as distinctly visible as the 
upper layers of a pile of bricks ; it is for the same 
reason that the Ball of Saint Peter's, being more 
clearly defined than that of Saint Paul's, seems to 



76 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



be nearer to the earth ; on approach I find that 
the first step is in height even with my chest, and 
in length represents a trottoir to no inconsiderable * 
street ; these steps seem numberless and immea- 
sureable ; the point to which they rise, appears in 
some degree the illusive effect of distance rather 
than reality of form ; and the whole recalls the 
idea of Titans raising a scaling ladder against 
Heaven. The excellent description by Denon of 
this the largest pyramid in the world, renders 
further observations almost unnecessary ; the names 
of travellers scratched at the entrance bear evi- 
dence against as many visiters as have made their 
marks at Hugoumontt. Thet first gallery inclines 
inwards ; the second gallery slopes upwards ; the 
angle is filled by a block of granite which the ar- 
chitect had hoped would close the passage for ever : 
this block has hitherto remained immoveable and 
impervious — not impassable. I have ventured to 
remind the reader of this, because there is between 
this barrier and the chambers of the dead, a small 
shaft which has obtained the name of " the weft," 
a recent traveller assures us that having dropped 
a stone he heard it fall into water ! Truth, how- 
ever, does not lie at the bottom of that well. The 

* This step about equals in length the longest unbroken street 
in London (South Molton Street) 

t Hugoumont the ibeus of battle at Waterloo, 
t See plan by Denon. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



77 



passage descends into the live rock, and commu- 
nicates with a spacious half-formed chamber (50 
by 30 feet), in the corner of which is a short pass- 
age leading toward the sphinx ; this is, however, 
unfinished ; but there may be yet another which 
(though unknown) did conduct to the abodes of 
the priests : upon this hypothesis the riddle of the 
well is solved. — It would have been a pity that the 
treasures in all probability deposited with the royal 
corpse should have remained useless. — I ascended 
" the well ;" it is as narrow, dirty, and difficult as 
a chimney; fingers, toes, back, shoulders, and elbows 
are absolutely necessary ; eyes, mouth, and nose are 
inconvenient; the death-cold bats were perpetu- 
ally flying against my candle and my face : these 
horrid little animals are celebrated by the French 
savants, and the only recompense for my trouble 
was to put some of them in my pocket. The stone 
% sarcophagus still remains in the king's chamber ; 
it is by its height and width just admissible into 
the first gallery (5 feet 6 inches by 4 feet 3 inches) ; 
breathe the air of heaven once more ; mount the 
pyramid ; resolve to Wait here till sunrise ; the 
Arabs bring up our supper and mattresses : this is 
but a slight proof of the difficulty of ascent, which 

* It is a vulgar error to call a body- preserver by the name of 
the place or vault where bodies naturally corrode. Quick-lime or 
stones of such property may have been used for coffins, but not 
by Egyptians 



78 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



some are taught to believe is a labour almost equal 
to the raising the pile ; very anxious for morning ; 
too cold to close my eyes. I had fully intended 
to have dreamt of Jacob's dream ; six o'clock, a. m. 
thermometer 49° ; last evening at sunset 62° ; a 
difference of thirteen degrees, and a night's con- 
tinuation of that deficiency is sensibly felt by one 
whose blood has been parboiled daring the day. I 
had at first been surprised that the birds of Egypt 
are thickly feathered the top of this pyramid 
presents an area 11 yards square, drawing a line 33 
feet; and allowing about two feet either way for 
the decreasing step, we may conjecture that about 
eight or nine layers of stone have been thrown 
down, the stone whose turn is next is from four to 
five feet square, these steps are 202 in number, 
and in height vary from 1 to 4 feet 8 inches*. 
Gemelli (giro del mondo) 127 years past gives the 
number of steps 208, height 520, surface of top 
16 feet 8 inches square. To ascend occupied us 
twenty minutes, to descend fifteen. The quantity 
of stone used in this pyramid is estimated at " six 
millions of tons, which is just three times that of the 
vast breakwater thrown across Plymouth Sound," 
the same material which has now failed to preserve 
even a pinch of the founder's dust, if properly em- 
ployed, might have saved the realm ; a hundred 

* See Davison in Walpole — 206 steps— base 746 feet square, 

height 460 feet 11 inches. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC* 



79 



thousand men were employed twenty years in rais- 
ing this fabric*, and the king prostituted his daugh - 
tert to defray the expense, Such were the means 
of erecting a building, whose magnitude defeated its 
own end.- — The survivor of " the seven wonders of 
the world," is a monument of vanity and disgrace. 
The pyramid of Chephrenes stands within ISO 
yards of the former, and is but little inferior in 
bulk ; passages, and chambers, have lately been dis- 
covered by Belzoni— in spite of the assertions of 
Herodotus. The steps on the north side are nearly 
worn away by sand and speculators : we ascend on 
the south, till we arrive at a smooth inclined plane 
leading to the apex : an Arab offered to clamber up 
for becksheesh, but being afraid to venture our- 
selves, we were not disposed to risk the life even of 
an Arab in a danger so formidable and useless. 
The neighbouring smaller pyramids form a spacious 
burial ground, those of Sacchara and Dasshour stand 
at a few miles distant, and the town of Memphis 
probably occupied the intervening space, but part 
of the town also stood on the opposite side of the 
river, as the story of Charon i is applied here. It 

* Said by Josephus to have been built by the Jews : to the 
Jews also are attributed the " Wails of Babylon," and even the 
Colisaeum by some accounts. 

-f A small pyramid also was built by the surplus arising from 
excess of filial piety in this queen of Almah. 

% " Le batelier, qu'en langue Egyptienne on nommoit Cha- 
ron." 



80 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



is impossible to examine the pyramids without feel- 
ings of surprise and satisfaction. Yet, while I agree 
with Martial, in preferring the Coliseum, I sin- 
cerely hope, notwithstanding such misapplication of 
labour and expense, that they may outlast Horace ; 
at the same time I confess, that a crag of Alpine 
scenery has more charms for me than this little hill 
of human manufacture. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



81 



CHAPTER IX. 

CAIRO TO BEDROUSIN SACCHARA MUMMY-PIT BE- 

NISOUEF BEBEE DJIBEL ET TEIR PALM TREE 

MINIEH EL COOM AMRAH METARRAH BENI- 

HASSAN — ANTINOE. 

Have engaged a candgy at sixty dollars per month. 
A candgy is the gondola of the Nile, the cabin is 
about five feet by eight, and this divided into two 
apartments ; it is high enough to lie down in, and 
that is quite sufficient for a Levantine ; however, it 
is not very close, a wooden grating in lieu of win- 
dows, allows a free passage to the air, but there is 
neither glass nor shutter to prevent it. Our crew 
consists of the reiss (or captain) and nine Nubians; 
boat and men are to pass the cataracts : the 
agreement is drawn up by a public notary, and 
stamped ; nothing is done without a stamp : the 
Pasha is an Englishman in taxing. The reiss has 
put his seal to it, as he is unable to write, and I 
have put my name : thus signed and sealed, the in- 
strument is valid, whatever may be its purport : 
neither of us can read a word of it, but I put some 
faith in the reiss, as his green turban proclaims him 
to be of the family of Mohammed. This color 
(green) the livery of nature in every country, ex- 

Gr 



82 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

cept where it is most desired, is sacred to the Pro- 
phet, and is the badge of founder's kin — the cap- 
tain receives twenty shillings per month — the pay 
of a boatman is food, and four-pence a-day. 

Mr. Grey has hired a candgy, and promises to 
go as far as Thebes. 

5, p. m. left Cairo. — It is something to begin — 
which we did by sleeping on board. 

8, a. m. — under weigh — neither the wind nor 
any thing else right— moor off Bedrousin — here 
amid a grove of palm-trees lives an Italian, em- 
ployed by the Pasha to superintend a manufactory 
of gunpowder — he is styled Bey, or Prince ; surely 
baroneted physicians, whose prescriptions are much 
more effectual than Turkish gunpowder, have rea- 
son to be jealous. 

Visit the pyramids of Dasshour and Sacchara — 
uninteresting after those of Ghiseh — only two re- 
quire observation — one is composed of five terraces, 
in lieu of a flight of steps— the other having reached 
a certain height, with an uniform ascent, is ab- 
ruptly tapered to an apex, as if means were want- 
ing to complete the original design ; soon sur- 
rounded by Arabs, who offer relics of the dead for 
sale — and themselves for hire as guides — those who 
have visited the field of battle have experienced 
the like importunities — these Arabs are resurrec- 
tion-men, who labour diligently in breaking the 
coffins and the bones of the dead— Michael Angelo 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 83 

would have borrowed hence some ideas for his pic- 
ture of doomsday — they at first denied all know- 
ledge of mummy-pits — but our interpreter spoke 
so intelligibly and so forcibly with his whip, that 
they conducted us to the " last found" — they had 
reclosed it at our approach — a hole three feet square 
cut in the mountain-rock — descend six or seven 
feet — very hot — long dark chamber — bones, bodies, 
and earthen vessels knocked and crumbled to pieces 
in every direction— rags and bitumen — -not a grain 
of dust but what bore witness against the picking 
and stealing fingers of the discoverers — this chamber 
conducts to several others — projections of the rock 
have been formed into deities — these guardians of 
the dead have shared equally the destruction — ■ 
these chambers are in size about SO feet by 7 ; in 
them wells or shafts excavated to the depth of 30 
feet conduct to other depositories — our guides 
would not allow us to descend into this nether 
world, nor would they bring up any thing without 
having first broken it, lest it might be worth hav- 
ing — they imagine that it is the universal character 
of man to search only for gold— a few grains of 
that sine-qua-non were unfortunately found in the 
body of a mummy — the consequence is, that every 
corpse that can be discovered is pounded to dust y 
though it is no slight labour to pulverise the arm- 
mum that supplies the place of the excavated intes- 
tines, half the same exertion in any honest occu- 
g 2 



84 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



pation would produce double the reward — we 
abused these fellows heartily — and whatever they 
offered, we bought. The Francs in Cairo give such 
encouragement to this species of sacrilegious lar- 
ceny, that, within the last three years, the price 
of every relic has quadrupled ; and possibly, in a 
short time, the most zealous antiquary will not suc- 
ceed, either by love or money, in procuring an old 
great toe. These excavations, as receptacles of 
the dead, are not to be compared with those at Sy- 
racuse, nor even with the catacombs at Paris, but 
are, comparatively speaking, " family vaults — 
not far hence is the mummy-pit of the Ibis- — it has 
been frequently and thoroughly ransacked— this 
bird is no longer known in Egypt, but is some- 
times found on the Red Sea- — one copy lately 
procured there has been sent to the British 
Museum. 

Made but little progress to-day — the wind not 
in our favour, and the crew of scarcely more as- 
sistance—shooting—geese — plovers — kings-fishers, 
and a pelican ; my dragoman says, it is fortunate 
that he is only a renegade — had he been a Turk 
born, he might have been angry at my killing a 
pelican ; for there is a story that, Mohammed 
making war upon the Christians, and being op- 
pressed with thirst, water was brought to him by a 
pelican — that bird is hence called Sarcarr, or Water- 
carrier — the Raven and Hebrew Prophet. Wind 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



85 



from the south — our boat has remained stationary 
all day— -the sand is so troublesome that I cannot 
quit the cabin — nail up a mat outside the win- 
dow-grate- — take up the carpet mat and nail it 
inside ; notwithstanding the close texture of these 
screens, the wind still penetrates, and the sand is 
as subtle as the wind, and accompanies it. I re- 
member to have read in some modern publication 
that the sand penetrated even into the folds of the 
traveller's linen, though locked up in his portman- 
teau* — the cloud of sand is as thick as a London 
fog— I can scarcely distinguish the head of the boat 
—the crew are all covered up, and lying at the bot- 
tom — nobody answers to my call, fearful, perhaps, 
of having a gravel-walk made down his throat !— 
Is this what travellers call the Simoon, which com- 
pels them to lie down in the desert ? — travellers see 
strange things, even though it is nothing but sand- 
dust. 

This day is a repetition of yesterday—a third 
day of Aades, with lucid intervals— though there 
is light enough whereby to see, it is so cold that I 
can scarcely hold my pen— hope that we shall 
not have more of this darkness than fell to the 
king's share of the plagues of Egypt— glass 49 — 
but it is, to the present state of my blood, colder 
than I ever felt it during the Winter at Rome ; it 
seems strange that the ancient Romans used to 
send their consumptive patients to Egypt, even 



86 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



though Fahrenheit is as flattering as a physician — 
the heat of the day and the cold of the night are 
to me equally annoying. 

Wind and sand abated — four of our crew ill — 
one man found dead near the boat — said to be from 
cold — or, as we in England should return the ver- 
dict, " found frozen to death j" — urged the reiss 
to his engagement of rowing and towing — a line 
prepared, and the crew harnessed — we advanced 
against the stream slowly enough for a little way ; 
and when at length I thought we were going at an 
agreeable pace, I found the towing-line was snapped, 
and the boat making all haste in the wrong direc- 
tion ; the rope is made of the palm-tree — sand 
would have answered our purpose nearly as well- 
half the labour was to repair these brittle wooden 
ropes. 

The Nile is sinking rapidly — the labourer follows 
as it recedes, throwing the grain — the alluvial de- 
posit is slovenly turned over, and the plant rises in 
four or five days ; where irrigation is wanted, the 
water is raised by a pot mill, as in " Yussuf's 
well," with the assistance of a cow— they know 
not that the stream would perform animal labour ; 
the water is also raised by two idle fellahs, with 
baskets, as described at Alexandria. A short dis- 
tance on this side Benisouef, the Arabic chain juts 
into the river, and forms a new feature in the 
country — a Shekh's tomb on the summit of the 

8 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 87 



mountain, and a few palm-trees at the foot, render 
it even picturesque — this past, the chain opens 
and presents an extensive valley, but it is all de- 
sart — on the Libyan side is seen the Pyramid of 
Hilhaon, situate in the fine fertile valley that leads 
to the district of Faioum — this I am informed is 
the widest of the cultivated parts of the kingdom — 
it would employ an ordinary man two or three 
hours to walk across it — this stage-wide district is 
watered by the Bahr Jussuf (river Joseph)— Mr. 
Hamilton navigated it — and even had he not told 
us that it is uninteresting, in point of antiquities, 
I should not yet have forgotten the canal of Man- 
soura. 

A rookery. — I remember, while at Rome, that 
an Italian traveller spoke with admiration of the 
rookeries in England, but this is the first time that 
ever I paused attracted to such an object— these 
strangers croak, and remind me of home. 

Bebee — here is a Coptic convent — the only arti- 
cle in which that can possibly be appraised at the 
value of sixpence, is the hand of Saint George, it is 
carefully preserved in a wooden envelope — the out- 
side of which was shown to us, but, though En- 
glishmen, we were not permitted even to see the 
hand of our Patron Saint. 

Shooting partridges — colour of grouse — long 
feathers in the tail— as wild as wild ducks — and 



88 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



cry like sand-pipers — meat brown, coarse, and ill- 
flavoured. 

c 28th December. — Moored under the steep cliffs 
of Djibel et Teir. — Bird mountain — the sides co- 
vered with the black Damietta duck — went out by 
moon-light — their feathers are nearly shot proof — 
hence the Arabs call them " Ball-eaters" — not pa- 
latable — these birds are common on the Black Sea 
— and if as numerous as here we should have that 
etymology of the name. 

29th. — Very early on the heights — ducks, 
pigeons, hawks, and swallows — the entire plumage 
of the latter is of the same colour as the sand — 
here are also partridges, and many reptiles that are 
scarcely to be distinguished in their resting place. 
It is a convenient thing that the colour of their 
coats remains in fashion throughout the whole year 
in Egypt, whereas in the north of Europe some ani- 
mals are at the chameleon-like trouble of changing — 
here are some insignificant proofs of an ancient scite 
— quarries and an isolated rock which has been 
formed into a temple or tomb, not worth visiting 
or describing — about 200 yards from the river's 
edge, and at the south extremity of a small grove 
of palm trees, the sand has lately been excavated to 
the depth of about 20 feet. In this hole is seen a 
remarkable palm-tree, it is still erect, and had been 
entirely overwhelmed with the drifted sand — anew 
head and stem had sprung up from the old one, at 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



so 



most equal to the parent tree —but the leaves of its 
ancient head being still attached to their birth- 
place, it presents the appearance of one tree grow- 
ing on the top of another. On the summit of 
Djibel et Teir is a Coptic convent — the inhabitants 
commenced baking for us, not having leisure to 
wait, the chief-priest offered me a stale but sub- 
stantial bun, having Coptic characters and crosses 
on it — this is sacrament bread — he begged for an 
empty bottle in the name of the Virgin. Denon 
gives a drawing of this place, which he calls the 
convent of the Chain, accompanied by an account, 
that while boats were passing, the monks used to 
be let down from the height into the river to swim 
and beg, or rob. 

It is nearly the last day of the year — beans in full 
blossom — barley ripe — wheat knee high — dourrha 
gathered — dates finished — oranges ripe — sugar- 
canes cutting — indigo cut — the seed of the male 
date tree perfumes the air — the odour like that of 
the honeysuckle. 

As to the uses of the palm-tree, the timber serves 
for rafters or firewood — of the leaves are made 
cages, boxes, bed-steads, and every thing in the hur- 
dle line — of the fibres cordage — also a fine thread 
(at Mecca) which answers the purpose of a flesh- 
brush — wine, honey, and arraghy (brandy), having 
the smokey taste of whiskey, with a smack of honey. 
The dates are eaten fresh, dried, or conserved, the 



90 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



stone of the fruit boiled for camels — the heart or 
cabbage of the tree is a great delicacy, flavour like 
new walnuts — the tree deprived of it dies — the seed 
is insipid — the fruit grows in bunches, having the 
appearance of grapes, and might easily be describ- 
ed in Oriental language as the grapes of Canaan. 
Kinneir states that there are forty-four varieties of 
the palm-tree. 

Leave Djibel et Teir, — at Tennay medals are 
found. 

A favourable breeze, the first, it has brought us to 
Minieh — the bazaar and general appearance of the 
town is good in despite of the paucity of minarets 
— only three — more are not desirable if of the same 
sort. In the market-place stood a saint, alias a 
fool, quite naked — there wanted but the cart's tail, 
— his head was shaved, excepting five frizzled locks, 
which displayed themselves, one on the centre of 
the skull, and the others equidistant from that and 
from each other, like the four points of a weather- 
cock — he was making hideous noises — to speak in- 
telligibly would be to forfeit sainthood — he is the 
living idol of the town, particularly of the women — 
even the rude Albanian soldiers honoured him — 
one of them offered him coffee, the saint grumbled 
exceedingly, and drank it — he was led away by 
some women, not at all from motives of decency. 
Ideots generally ill-treated in England would no 
longer be fools if they went to Turkey. The ca- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 91 

sniff or governor of this town is so highly spoken 
of by every traveller, that I should almost consider 
the wind favourable if it would blow contrary — 
for a few hours, however, as it invites us to pro- 
ceed, and will not wait for us, we accept its offer- 
ed assistance. 

30th December. — El Coom Am rah — brick-dust 
amid palm-trees at the water's edge. 

Metarrah — here we find the small pin-tailed fly- 
catcher, described by Denon. 

Benihassan— visited the sculptured catacombs — 
two octagon pillars formed of the live rock denote 
an entrance — the chamber is strikingly elegant — 
about 37 feet square — and half that measure in 
height — four sixteen-sided columns pretend to sup- 
port the roof — the whole is a component part of 
the rock, they stand at the angles of an imaginary 
square, described in the centre, and divide the 
chamber into three equal aisles — the roof is gently 
arched and painted — the thickness of the rock left 
as the exterior wall is nearly five feet — on this are 
engraved eight perpendicular rows of hieroglyphics 
— at the opposite extremity are eight horizontal 
rows of figures painted — among which are repre- 
sented wrestlers in every possible position — also 
ploughing, goats, oxen, archery, boats, the rowers 
in which are standing. At the extremity of this 
chamber is another about 10 feet square, a species 
of pocket chapel, in which are sculptured three 



92 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



figures, perhaps deities. These deities, by whatever 
names they may have been called, are not in a better 
state than Dagon. We entered another sepulchre 
chamber 30 feet square — a second 52 feet by 40 — 
ten rows of figures, seven of which are wrestlers — 
a third, about the same dimensions, here are some 
pillars, the design of which has been suggested by 
four lotus plants bound together. These chambers 
have the appearance of drawing-rooms rather than 
of sepulchres — the depositories of the dead are far 
underneath, as at Sacchara — perhaps the " wakes" 
were held here, but even should the dead have wish- 
ed to accept the invitation # to a feast, they would 
have found some difficulty, and perhaps no assist- 
ance in climbing the wells. 

Antinoc — the Arabic chain forms a semicircle to 
the river — palm-trees line the water's edge, the re- 
cess is occupied by the ruins of that city which Ha- 
drian built in memory of his favourite, it is worthy 
of himself. It is here that Antinoiis committed 
suicide — if he had known that his voluntary and 
personal sacrifice would have been commemorated 
in such a manner, he could not have fixed upon a 
more eligible spot. The first object of attention is 
a mass of laboured stone piled upon the bank — it 
once formed a temple, it is now on its way to form 
a palace — a Turk has invited it to Siout — but the 
inhabitants of modern Rome have, for the purpose 

* " And why did you die now when there's plenty of butter- 
milk." Irish -Requiem. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



93 



of erecting private buildings, partly destroyed the 
Colisaeum. Many granite columns form an ave- 
nue to tire vchere-was-OTice a temple, near which 
also is a remnant of that edifice which is going fast 
to Siout. The town was divided into four parts 
by the two principal streets, intersecting at right 
angles — having at either side a row of stone pillars 
— they look more like posts, the highest does not rise 
three feet from the present soil, but it is said that, 
they are buried to the depth of nine — the diame- 
ter only 21 inches — chains would give them a 
cockneyish appearance — the street is 50 feet wide, 
handsome certainly, but unnecessary and impolitic 
■ — even in Naples, which is less exposed to the sun's 
rays, and where the houses are high, and the streets 
narrow, it was thought necessary that a book should 
be published, directing the passenger to go from 
any one part of the city to another part, at any 
hour, and yet always be in the shade, At the north 
extremity of one street stands a conspicuous, and 
not inelegant column : it has an acanthus capital, 
and the acanthus also ornaments the base of the 
shaft — it is the survivor of four. At the south ex- 
tremity of this street still exist two handsome fluted 
Corinthian columns, and other remains of a temple 
—in this probably the celebrated statue of Anti- 
nous was honoured. At the back of this is the scite 
of a theatre, facing the river — the river would at 
any time be an object more agreeable than the 



94 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



neighbouring rocks or bad actors — to the east the 
remains of the city gate still make a noble appear- 
ance — near this has been uncovered the original 
pavement, large slabs of stone, superior to that of 
ancient Rome, and nearly equal to the trottoir of 
London. A variety of columns are seen in every di- 
rection, and at the first coup d'ceil I had flattered 
my own wishes in being reminded of Hadrian and 
of Rome. Coins in great quantities are found here, 
which the Arabs are glad to exchange for paras 
with foolish ignorant Francs. This old money 
woVt purchase bread. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 95 



CHAPTER X. 

RHADAMONE — ASHMOUNIM HERMOPOLIS — MELAWI 

— -MANFALOOT MAHABDIE CROCODILE PIT LE- 

KRAAT SIOUT ABOUTIDGE GOU SHEKM EREDY 

— EKMIM SOUHEDGE GIRGEH BALEAINIEH 

ARABAT MATFOONER. 

31st December. — Rhadainone — rode to Ashmou- 
nim, the ancient Hermopolis, the only remnant of 
antiquity is the portico of a temple — it is pleasing, 
inasmuch as it is the first specimen of its kind — not 
totally destroyed — and it is in itself magnificent. 
Twelve massive pillars support the roof, which ap- 
pears to a stranger at first sight, to be nearly per- 
fect, unfortunately only one stone of the cornice 
remains — and the cornice is the noblest feature in 
Egyptian architecture : this solitary stone is 26 feet 
long — the length of three modern Arab habitations. 
The fabric faces the south, and on the south or 
principal side are represented human figures — on 
the north are birds and other hieroglyphical signs 
— the signs on the crowns of the capitals are repe- 
titions of the same meaning, but written, those on 
one side of the entrance, from left to right, and on 
the other side, from right to left : the cieling is 



96 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



covered with stars, as if to represent the firmament, 
but not arched. There is something very imposing 
in these twelve pillars, notwithstanding that they 
labour under the greatest disadvantage that pos- 
sibly can befal a ruin — mounds of filth enclose 
them and surmount them on every side, neither 
the blue vault of heaven, nor the setting sun, nor 
the moon's silver light can ever add that more 
than human finish to the picture which ennobles the 
works of man — through the intercolumniations no- 
thing is to be seen but filth — and yet the ruin is 
magnificent, 

Returned to Rhadamone — a few miles hence is 
the town of Melawi — a cloth remarkably thick and 
cheap, called tzarboot, is manufactured there — 
pursued our route. 

1st January— a happy new year to you— sailing 
towards Manfaloot — on our left a steep high cliff 
— grottoes and sepulchres gaping at us — very in- 
different workmanship. 

Manfaloot — the bread here is as white as that at 
Venice — the Nile has just carried away part of the 
soil, and part of the town — it is all the same ma- 
terial. 

Opposite Manfaloot commences a cultivated 
plain, the first that we have been treated with on 
the eastern side of the river. At about an hour's 
distance is the village of Mahabdie : it is in this 
neighbourhood that Mr. T. Legh explored the. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 97 

crocodile mummy pits, of which adventure he gives 
such an interesting account ; it has, however, been 
said that the Arabs acted death, for the double 
purpose of deterring travellers, and of extorting 
money. Provided with Davy's safety lamp, a long 
light stick, a thermometer, a plank and ropes, and 
accompanied by my dragoman and three others, 
I set out for Mahabdie — in our way thither we met 
several Arabs, every one of whom denied all know- 
ledge of the pit — arrived at the village we could 
get no information : it was evidently withheld, but 
at length promise of becksheesh induced a man to 
be our guide — under certain conditions. — Into, 
That he was to receive 25 piastres. 2do, That he 
was to be accompanied by 30 of his friends armed : 
that we (five) were not to force them (thirty) into 
the cave, and that upon pointing out the entrance 
they might be allowed to run away. 3io, That 
the dragoman (a Turk) should swear by the Pro- 
phet, by Mecca and Medina, that he would not 
only not force them (thirty) into the cave, but that 
he would not go in himself — to this he swore very 

readily — a Christian might go and be . While 

these conditions were under consideration the news 
spread like wildfire — women and children crowded 
round us — " What ! go where my son died," was 
the exclamation of a virago ; " if you fill my house 
with gold my husband shall not go — he is an Eng- 
lishman — he has magical incantations, and he is 

H 



98 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



taking our husbands and children to certain death, 
the soldiers who went last week are dead there"— 
and many other expressions well suited to deter 
ine — on the other hand, the force of my Arabic 
and argument was summed up in the word " beck- 
sheesh." Our guides as if preparing for " certain 
death," took leave of their children : the father 
took the turban from his own head, and put it on 
that of his son : or put him in his place, by giving 
him his shoes — " a dead man's shoes" — this treaty 
and ceremony lasted more than an hour — at length 
we set forth with our posse comitatus all armed. 
We had not yet cleared the village when we were 
beset by women and children, who, with frantic 
cries and gestures, took up dust by handfuls, and 
threw it in the air : as yet, however, there was no 
harm done, for the dust fell in their own faces. 
We were still advancing when a woman, brandish- 
ing a long staff, iron bound at either end, stepped 
forward, like Hercules in petticoats, and placing 
herself between our would-be guides and us, made 
such a display of the argumentum ad hominem that 
our thirty armed men positively refused to accom- 
pany us another step. I must confess that it was a 
disappointment without sorrow, and we commenced 
a retraite honorable. Met by the governor of the 
village — on learning the cause of our visit, he asked 
if we would answer for our guides' safe return — 
being assured in the affirmative, he instantly com- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC"" 99 

inanded six men to lead us to the pit — we were 
followed by the cries and curses of women and 
children ; the governor himself escorted us to a 
bridge clear of the town, and here forbade a pass- 
age to those whom we were far from wishing to 
accompany us — -a broad smooth winding road leads 
up the neighbouring mountain — chrystal grows on 
the summit like grass, and gives a novelty and in- 
terest to the scene, but there is not the slightest 
appearance of life ; we entered a ravine, resem- 
bling the dry bed of a torrent — I was employed 
in culling chrystal — the guides ran a-head, and 
crying out, " there, there it is, there died the 
soldiers, and there you are going to die," they 
ran homeward with all speed — one of them in 
passing called out for becksheesh, which I offered, 
but he would not stop to receive it — there must 
then have been some cause truly alarming: and 
such was the effect upon two of my boatmen, that 
they threw down the plank, and would not advance 
another inch. We had been an hour and ten minutes 
on our walk : this coincides with Mr. Legh's ac- 
count. The opening of the cave pointed out to 
us is a natural fissure in the rock, presenting a 
descent of about 20 feet \ into this I let down 
Davy's lamp — it went out immediately : relighted 
it, but with no success : again, and again — the sun 
was set, and although the moon, according to her 
promise of last night, intended to shine in her fullest 

h 2 



100 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



splendour, as yet it was gloomy, the air from the 
cave was far from agreeable, and the wind was shrill 
and melancholy — it did not require novel reading to 
magnify solitude into horror. The lamp had failed so 
frequently, that my dragoman exclaimed, " Omens, 
omens, the lantern dies, we are going to die, if 
you offer me millions I dare not go in." Some bats 
flew forth, and convinced me that there was life in 
the cave, and that the fault was in the lamp : at 
length I amended it, much to my dissatisfaction : 
I was now compelled to enter, — and to enter it 
alone. I paused : did the fear of my companions 
communicate itself to me ? I had adopted all pru- 
dent measures suggested by Mr. Legh's recital, 
yet 1 might still share the fate of the Arabs. — Ere 
I descended, I wrote in my pocket-book a few fare- 
well lines to one on whom my thoughts, perhaps 
the last, were pondering. — The thermometer sus- 
pended from my neck — the mercury rose 15 de- 
grees : I fastened the light to the end of the stick 
and surveyed the apartment \ spacious, irregular, 
apparently natural, and low, the floor covered with 
large flakes fallen from above, an opening before 
me — it is but a continuation of the fissure by which- 
I had entered — having no assistance at hand, in 
case of accident, I proceeded slowly, holding the 
light sufficiently in advance to give me notice of 
bad air, and Davy's lamp gave me confidence against 
explosion — the rock in some places lined with 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



101 



chrystal, but dirty, as if from smoke, three large 
stalactites, the cast-off skin of a large snake, and 
some parts of mummies; the dragoman, finding 
me in good spirits, ventured to enter, in spite of 
the omens and his oath — I gave him some animals 
to demummise during my absence, and entered 
another fissure — prostrate on my face, any other 
position was impossible, and in this manner I pro- 
ceeded till I had far passed the length of passage 
described by Mr. Legh : found several small mum- 
mies, lizards, or crocodiles, but they might have 
been hid there by vermin — I returned feet fore- 
most, my dragoman examined the prey, and I 
pursued my search. I groped in and about the 
masses, still holding the light forward — something 
red is glittering — I distinguish a turban and 
a soldier's vest — feel the colour fluctuate in my 
cheek — but yet the light burns brightly, and the 
soldiers carry arms worth earning. I called the 
dragoman, telling him that I had found one of those 
who had died there last week : he came forward and 
paused — after some minutes' deliberation, I ad- 
vanced, and produced the clothes of my own dra- 
goman, he had taken them off at entering, on ac- 
count of the heat. I now forced myself into the 
continuation of that fissure by which we had at first 
descended — found it soon impervious, being netted 
up with stalactites : re-examined the large cham- 
ber thoroughly, but could find no untried opening 



102 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



returned to the surface of the earth, having been 
fruitlessly employed one hour and twenty minutes 
— so much for the mountains in labour. I imagine 
that the Arabs did not conduct us to the crocodile 
pit, either from fear, or calculating that whatever 
induced strangers to run the risk would be worth at 
least as much to themselves. The moon was at the 
full, and we searched the neighbouring mountains, 
but in vain, every thing was unfortunate, even the 
valley of chrystal did not glitter to the moon- 
beams ; it was past 10 o'clock when I rejoined 
the boats, and awoke Mr. Grey to tell him of my 
misadventure. 

Lekraat — standing at this place, the mountains 
on either side appear to form a semicircle to the 
river, only not meeting ; the town of Siout occu- 
pies the vacuum at one end, and the Nile flows 
through the other — the Arena is studded with vil- 
lages, and is so flat and green, that the groves and 
every unevenness seem like islands in a lake — this 
is the peculiar characteristic and beauty in Egyp- 
tian scenery — I am now in an orchard of acasias, 
cultured for gum : camels and oxen grazing— 
threshing dourrha — tobacco in flower — gourds ripe, 
and other symptoms of summer, — on January 2nd. 
— not to know in what state other countries are 
at this moment, or to believe that it is really sum- 
mer, would be to deprive this scenery of its prin- 
cipal charm. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



103 



Siout — the capital of upper Egypt — the town 
stands at the foot of the Lybian chain ; a square 
building, with nothing but its size to recommend 
it — reminds me of an English manufactory — it is 
the Palace — every life in this district is exposed to 
the caprice of a governor, who is only eighteen 
years of age. 

This town is comparatively better than the vil- 
lages of Egypt — Virgil's shepherd might, however, 
dispute that point — the dunghills that surround it 
present a formidable barrier to European eyes and 
noses — they are used by the natives as shambles, 
and crowded with butchers, buyers, dogs, and 
hawks— the latter are scarcely restrained from 
snatching the reeking meat from the scales. 

The catacombs rise in tiers on the mountain's 
side : in the first, the principal entrance is a hand- 
some arched way — not built, but cut in the live 
rock ; the bats, though not so large as those of 
Madagascar, deserve to be killed. 

On the second tier, is an excavation 108 feet 
by 78 — the noblest part of which is the entrance — 
there must have been giants in those days — the 
views hence comprises the town and valley of Siout 
— seven minarets — groves of palm-trees — and the 
meanderings of the river not altogether without 
boats, which form a landscape that a traveller has 
learned not to expect. 

Called on the banker— this Metropolitan bank 



104 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



is in some clanger ; there being as many as three 
or four applicants for money, and I want no less 
than the enormous sum of 100/. I took my place 
cross-legged on the mat : the room would just do 
for a hen-house, mud white-washed, with one small 
window ; in a corner sat " the Firm," with his desk 
and portable treasury before him — his attendants 
were armed — coffee was brought, and a slave, who 
was smoking, as I conceived, for his own amuse- 
ment, was troubling himself to light a pipe for me ; 
I took the liberty of wiping the mouth-piece, which 
I was afterwards given to understand, is to doubt 
the cleanliness of master or man, and it is therefore 
an insult — not to let him spit in your face — I sat 
here about an hour and a half in limbo ; during 
this, several Turks came in — took their places- 
drank their coffee — smoked their pipes — remained 
half an hour — said nothing, and walked away — 
whether these were visits of ceremony, pleasure, 
or business, I cannot decide — not a word was 
spoken — but what has a Turk to say — he has no 
books, nor newspapers, nor curiosity, nor activity 
—he has no pleasure but his pipe — " fumus et 
umbra." — That a man should travel for knowledge, 
or dance for amusement, excites the astonishment 
of the most enlightened of them. • ' What, come 
so far to see buildings that are destroyed, and not 
be paid money for your trouble !" " What, dance 
yourself, when you can hire others to dance for you 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



105 



for five shillings ! " yet with all their idleness and 
want of thought, I never heard a Mohammedan 
whistle — whistling would be more tolerable than 
smoking ; they seem happy, and " if in ignorance 
there's bliss/' they ought to be really so — O 
that Eve had been a Mohammedan ! My hundred 
pounds were to be paid in piastres, half piastres, 
and paras, pieces the value of six-pence, three- 
pence, and half farthings, the latter about the size 
of spangles, these were counted over three times, 
nor did any attention to the visitors occasion the 
loss of half a farthing to the Bank of Siout — it was 
but on one occasion that the object of the Firm 
was at all diverted— he took a pipe from his ser- 
vant's mouth, put it into his own, and then into 
his friend's, taking that of the latter in exchange— 
this is the acme of civility in a Turkish gentleman 
—none but the ill-bred would feel any delicacy- — > 
at length the money was thrice counted, put into 
a carpet bag, my dragoman refused to be purse- 
bearer, and a donkey was hired to carry it to the 
boat — such money, and such trouble attending it, 
ought to be enumerated among the plagues of 
Egypt- — the piastres are copper slightly white- 
washed, the mask soon wears off, and like the 
" testers" of Henry VIII. they blush at their own 
corruption. 

The caravan from Darfour has just arrived with 
two hundred slaves : the poor wretches, naked and 



106 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



way-worn, are huddled together in small mud cells, 
with only this comfort, that their journey is over ; 
grief seems nearly expended in all except one : 
who stands silent, motionless, and alone, like Niobe 
she is the mother of many children, whom she can 
never see more. 

On leaving the town, a stranger en passant ac- 
costed me ; imagining that he had saluted me with 
one of the customary compliments of the country, 
I returned the best in my power — I am now told 
that the man had meant to insult me — whatever he 
had said, the words did not fall within my vocabu- 
lary of Arabic— words break no bones — but 4 a 
little — more — learning might have been a danger- 
ous thing.' 

Returned to boat — slept at Aboutidge. 

Gou — a pile of stones protrudes into the river ; 
I mistook it for a pier, but find it to be the ruin 
of a portico, which, twenty years ago, was de- 
scribed by Hamilton as containing eighteen pillars, 
last year there was but one, and that one has now 
been swept from its foundations by the Nile — mud 
is left in its place, and that is of more use to the 
natives — the monolithic chapel still remains 5 me- 
dals and catacombs are found here as matters of 
course. 

Shekh Eredy — here is a mutilated mass, in which 
cognoscenti discover part of the human form from 
the feet to iheTknee, and swear that they are those 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 107 

of a Roman senator— a Doum palm-tree % the first 
we have seen— it differs materially from the com- 
mon palm, the trunk is forked, slender, and bent ; 
the leaves dwarfish ; the fruit thrown amongst them 
— brown, misshapen, and clustered irregularly toge- 
ther, like a root of potatoes — these nuts are steeped 
in water, and give it the taste of common ginger- 
bread. 

The path leading up the neighbouring mountain 
is long, steep, and broiling — about half way towards 
the summit is a large quarry or grotto ; a few steps 
onward the path turns down into the heart of the 
mountain, it presents a romantic crater, in the hollow 
of which is the cell of Saint Eredy. Saint Eredy is 
held in great veneration by the Arabs, and in con- 
sequence of repeated pilgrimages, the rugged rocks 
have been worn into a tolerable path, but the 
length and difficulty of it is still sufficient to try 
the Mussulman's faith — it will never make of me 
a Turkish Saint, I would rather ascend the " Santa 
Scala" on my knees, or even kiss the cross erected 
in the Colisaeum, notwithstanding the many dirty 
mouths that slabber their prayers over it, for only 
the exemption of two hundred days from purgatory 
per kiss. My guides inform me that a sacred ser- 
pent lives in the cell, and is occasionally, like the 
relics at Rome, held up to the veneration of the 
true believers. It is not visible now, the subtle 
animal never makes his appearance in winter. 



108 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



Gemelli makes mention of a snake in this country 
that was sacred, the priests used to cut it into se- 
veral parts, and the snake, worm-like, would join 
itself by diabolical agency. Who knows whether it 
were not Lucifer himself? 

Snakes were once worshipped in Egypt — they 
are represented as an appendage or attribute of 
the winged globe — a snake is still worshipped at 
Delhi — the Indians who accompanied the English 
army across the desert complained that the temples 
of their religion, viz. those of the ancient Egyp- 
tians, are here suffered to go to decay. Moses 
was a priest of the Egyptians, he led away the 
children of Egypt ; Esculapius-like, he set up a 
serpent as a sign of curing and healing — the 
devil destroys all mankind under the same form. 

I climbed to the very summit of the mountain ; 
the Rockham, large vulture, flying around in every 
direction, and the surface covered with chrystal 
here is at once the scene of Sinbad's valley of 
diamonds and the rock bird* I am as pleased as 
if I was reading the Arabian Night's Entertain- 
ments, and like a child too, load myself with 
chrystal, till my handkerchief and pockets burst — 
the Rockham is encouraged at every village to 
carry off dead animals — the Arabian tales were 
written by a Greek — I entered at the top of the 
ravine which conducts to the burial place of Saint 
Eredy, there are several perpendicular breaks in it, 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



109 



of from ten to eighty feet, a torrent would perhaps 
render it nearly comparable to Terni. To the S. of 
the most eastern of these falls, but considerably 
more elevated, is a low natural cave or grotto, at 
the entrance of which stand three large pillars of 
chrystal — one of them is detached — I hastened 
to my boat and procured eight men with poles, 
mats, and all the ropes that Mr. Grey's boat and 
my own could furnish — these eight stupid fellahs* 
notwithstanding my signs, and prayers, and curses 
roll the pillar towards the ravine, and are unable 
to stop it — it leaped the first cataract, it was intend- 
ed that it should break, but it took fairly a somerset, 
and was no more hurt than — — was when he fell 
only on his head — the paltry Arabs cry out hay- 
lay-essah, God help us, but wanting more assistance, 
they invoke Saint Eredy by name, but he wo'n't 
come when they call him, and the Arabs pretend 
that they cannot lift it without him ; they roll it 
onward to the second precipice, it touched various 
crags in its descent, rays of sparkling particles 
flew in every direction, and, glittering in the sun, 
appeared like a shower of diamonds — a miniature 
avalanche of brilliants; the body fell upon the 
edge of a rock, it shivered, and I left it in despair ; 
the Arabs were now contented ; there was no trea- 
sure concealed in it, two of them followed me 
bearing one fragment, and four of them labouring 
under another ; the lesser fragment made its escape 



110 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



out of their hands, and taking the short path of 
the mountain, arrived at the bottom piecemeal ; 
the larger one is safe on board # . 

Sixth — Ekmim : we are told of the ruins of two 
temples — meaning masses of stone — shot partridges 
and quails. 

Souhedge — hence is seen a convent. 
Seventh— Girgeh, lately the capital of Upper 
Egypt — here are made leather bags, on which are 
represented flowers in patchwork — the arraghy or 
brandy at this place is good and cheap— here is a 
Roman Catholic convent, the establishment con- 
sists of one Monk ; if he makes no proselytes, he 
endures daily insult, and that is part of his Chris- 
tian duty ; he finds consolation in the bible and 
bottle, and will probably fall a martyr. 

Baleainieh — Arabat Matfooner, is situate about 
six miles distant inland — great difficulty to procure 
donkies, and then we had to make our own saddles 
— sacks filled with chopped straw — in the way 
thither are large flocks of hawks and a narrow canal, 
which we forded, leaving the donkies — it is only 
knee deep in mud — mount over heaps of rubbish, 
and come to an excavation lately made in search 
of a temple. Hamilton gives a description of this 
temple, so that it has been covered with sand 

* This has again been broken into several pieces in its way to 
England, the largest of which is now only four feet in circum- 
ference, and weighs rather more than one hundred weight. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. Ill 



within the last twenty years — yon will hardly ima- 
gine that they are looking for a building, over part 
of the roof of which I paced fifty-four long steps, 
on stones that have never yet been displaced, 
though there are signs of destruction at either 
end, this roof alone occupies nearly as much space 
as the neighbouring village, some small chambers 
in which the colour of the painting is so well pre- 
served that doubts immediately arise as to the 
length of time that it has been done — the best 
works even of the Venetian school betray their age, 
but the colours here, which we are told were in ex- 
istence two thousand years before the time of 
Titian, are at this moment as fresh as if they had 
not been laid on an hour— arched chambers thirty- 
three feet in length, the cieling, and probably the 
sides, covered with hieroglyphics as carefully as we 
should paper a room, nearly choke full of sand — 
the stones of which this fabric is built measure in 
some cases above twenty-two feet in length, the 
span of the arch is cut in a single stone, a portico 
is still visible, part of the roof has tried to fall in, 
but is prevented by the sand — here are also cham- 
bers innumerable— a subscription pack, neither line 
nor even size is observed—each individual part is of 
exquisite workmanship, but badly put together — 
great labor and irregularity. Perhaps the object 
most remarkable at this place is a chamber (or set 
of chambers) in which the Egyptians have at- 



118 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

tempted to build an arch — it affords at once a proof 
of their intention and their inability, the span of 
the arch is cut in two stones, each of which bears 
an equal segment of the circle, these placed toge- 
ther would naturally have fallen — they are upheld 
by a pillar placed at the point of contact : it has 
been doubted whether the Egyptians were ac- 
quainted with the principle of the arch — that they 
w r ere not at the time of building this is evident, 
and it may be presumed that they never were so, 
because they did not dislike arches, but have fre- 
quently cut them where sufficient space has been 
afforded by the live rock, and because that in every 
artificial roof they have been obliged to put a prop 
to support each stone, and hence the number of 
pillars in the temples. If those who raised the Py- 
ramids, and built Thebes, and elevated the obelisks 
of Lougsor had been acquainted with the principle 
of the arch they would have thrown bridges across 
the Nile, and have erected to Isis and Osiris domes 
more magnificent than those of Saint Peter's and 
Saint Paul's. 

Left Arabat Matfooner — re-waded the canal, the 
donkies had eaten the bowels of our saddles and left 
us the option of making use of our feet or their saw- 
like backs ; walked ; quite dark ; lost our donkies 
and our way ; there is no turnpike road in Egypt 5 
the alluvial deposit of the Nile gives a new face 
to the path every year, like a new ploughed field 5 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 113 

we wandered mid beans, wheat, and lupins, wet 
with a heavy dew, and the wind very cold : on a 
sudden we felt a warm vapour as if from an oven ; 
we were at this moment passing by the side of a 
mound ; but there was no fire, we were sheltered 
from the wind, and the heat arose from the earth ; 
the earth is like a hot bed, hence it is that the 
verdure is of so beautiful a colour — the dews and 
winds are cold — the birds are thickly feathered. 
After wandering for some time in perfect igno- 
rance, the barking of dogs led us to a village; it 
was now so late that the rustic conversazione had 
exploded, even the shekh had retired, and the two 
last of the party were taking leave of the dying 
fire. Though startled at our approach, they came 
forward immediately and welcomed us ; one of 
them brought fuel, the other brought the lord 
of the village with his stock of bread, dates, sour 
oil, and buffalo milk, already halfway towards 
cheese ; the bread is made of dourrha and lentiles, 
and had it not been for hunger and hospitality I 
should have thought it bitter. We learnt that we 
were still as far from our boat as we were when at 
Arabat Matfooner ; the shekh offered me his horse, 
but as it could not carry all our party, I declined 
it ; in return for his attention, I desired the drago- 
man to pay him handsomely ; he refused to receive 
any thing, saying " it was charity not calculation 
that brought him to a stranger in distress." The 



114 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



dragoman forced a present upon him ; and I then 

desired that the sum, whatever it was, might be 
doubled. The shekh followed us to call off the dogs, 
and would have accompanied us to the boat had I 
permitted him ; he gave us a guide and commanded 
him to lead us by his sugar plantations, that we 
might help ourselves ; his civility quite frightened 
me ; I asked the dragoman how much he had 
given him, he says three piastres — I will answer 
therefore that it was not more than eighteen pence 
— I have often given double the sum for half the 
civility, and the shekh would never have received 
half so much for tenfold his attentions if to a 
Turk. He had never seen an Englishman before, 
or the market would have been spoiled — one ought 
to travel in this countiyin forma pauperis — regained 
our boat about midnight. 

Ninth. — Calm ; boat in tow ; shooting ; met 
Mr. Lee, the vice-consul, his maash was moored 
by the bank, not towable. Expecting to join my 
canclgy at a turn of the river, I pursued the birds 
far and wide ; but being alone, I was cautious not 
to approach any body ; it was past sunset, ere I 
reached the water's edge ; and my alarm and dis- 
appointment at not being able to find my boat is 
perhaps not easy to be conceived. I walked towards 
a village which I was afraid to enter on account of 
the dogs ; at their barking a young man came 
forward, and seeing a stranger he turned back j 



THE' OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 115 

he then came to me, bringing bread and milk and 
cheese ; and it was really with regret that I did 
not dare to requite him for his civility. I was com- 
pelled in prudence to pretend that I had no money, 
and asked if he had seen my boat ? he replied that 
he did not want money, and that he had seen a 
boat just descend the river. It might have hap- 
pened that my candgy had passed up, and not find- 
ing me, had returned ; at any rate, there was one 
just gone down and I followed it. At the water's 
edge I soon perceived a smuggler's fire, by which 
stood a man and a boy — I approached cautiously 
and found them unarmed and cooking, the man 
told me it was dangerous to proceed either way, he 
offered me a resting-place on board his boat, which 
was at hand ; he gave me his cloak, his pipe, his 
supper, and his sleeping place, and more than these 
he inspired confidence — I was beginning to doze, 
when I was startled by new voices — took up my 
gun, and remained under arms all night. 

10th — Six o'clock, a.m. — distinguished my cand- 
gy in the distance — paid for my night's lodging — 
these boatmen are not delicate in accepting — they 
belong to Rosetta, and consequently expect that 
every Franc is to give becksheesh for seeing them. 
After four hours' walk, I joined Mr. Grey, and 
spoiled an anecdote in his journal — my death. Had 
I not quitted my boat I should have seen nine 
crocodiles, instead of pursuing a few quails and 

i 2 



116 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



partridges over ploughed fields hard baked, besides 
the imprudence and fear to all parties. The crews 
of both candgies are in search of me — a reward is 
offered for producing my hat and body alive or 
dead — woe to Mr, Lee, if met with : — well authen- 
ticated reports already arrive that I have been killed 
by soldiers, robbed and buried by Bedouins, or by 
the holy men returning from a pilgrimage to Mecca, 
It is but justice to add that no imputation what- 
ever lights upon the character of the Arab fellah* 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



117 



CHAPTER XL 

HO DIOSPOLIS M1KRA CAFR SAIAD CIICENOBOS- 

CIUM — CROCODILES — WARRHEN DENDERA — KEN- 

NEH COPHT — GOOS. 

Eleventh January — Ho — ruins of a modern mud 
village, and equally uninteresting, the fragments 
of Diospolis Mikra. A saint playing the fool, and 
very good quail shooting. 

At Cafr Saiad are some stones of Chcenoboscium 
— I wish that authors would be so candid as to ac- 
knowledge what is not worth seeing. A volume of 
disappointments or the miseries of travellers would 
contain more truth than the generality of accounts, 
if people would confess having been on a fool's 
errand. Descriptions, like pictures, though sketched 
on the spot, are too often over-finished and highly 
coloured at home. 

My boatmen demanded becksheesh, and pointed 
out thirty-nine crocodiles basking together on a 
low sand island — I was not willing to pay, at first 
sight supposing that they were but logs of wood, 
or trunks of the palm tree. nearer approach I 
perceive that the mouths of all are wide open, and 
while I am preparing to shoot, they scramble into 
the water — the crocodile has but a humble opinion 



118 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

of its own strength and terrors — he is fearful and 
shy, or as the Arabs express it " he has two heads." 
What animal is so senseless as not to be afraid of 
man. 

Met a fellah carrying onions, a few of which he 
gave us, I offered him money and he refused it ; 
for the onions did not belong to him — how un- 
christian-like and uncivilized. 

Saw an animal of about three feet long, basking 
on the bank, having an appearance between a lizard 
and a crocodile, the natives call it a " warrhen." 
It leaped into the river; swims with its head out of 
water ; a Nubian and myself pursued it — it landed 
and ran into a hole, a cul de sack. — I placed my 
hand upon its loins and drew it out, my companion 
took off his shirt and enveloped it, in this manner 
we carried it to the boat, and with some fear and 
difficulty succeeded in fixing a cord round it and 
fastening it to the mast. It would make an excellent 
man trap — not one of us dare approach him— a pan 
of charcoal was burning within reach, he snatched 
a piece red hot from the furnace, and the more it 
stung him, the more savagely he bit it — poor thing 
. — I threw a pail of water over him — cut his throat 
— and flayed him. 

12th January. — Dendera — donkies and saddles 
ready made are always forthcoming for an " En- 
gilitz." In a few minutes we are within sight of 
the temple, and use our utmost exertions to reach 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 119 

it. My obstinate animal has been there often 
enough, and now runs into a corn field, where I 
leave him, and trust to my own legs. On a flat plain 
of beautiful verdure rises a small dark mound, 
covered with ruins, in the centre of which appears 
the celebrated temple of Dendera. On nearer ap- 
proach, the surrounding fragments, which had given 
the principal features of the picturesque, vanish 
into the mud walls of an Arab village. 

Dendera has been so often described in large 
square books, that to repeat what has been already 
said would be wearisome to us both. The first 
object of attraction is a propyl on, on the left hand 
side of which, in passing through it towards the 
temple, are inscribed large human figures, accom- 
panied with sacred writing; on the right hand are 
hieroglyphics only, such as birds and other signs — 
the same is observable on the two other gateways 
belonging to this temple — perhaps the circumstance 
is of little importance to either of us, but the cu- 
rious may like to trace the superstitions of the Greeks 
and Romans to the Egyptians, as half way towards 
the creation, and it will be of great moment to 
ascertain whether Adam was a right or a left-handed 
man. 

Arrived at the Portico ; I am lost in admiration, 
even though the concomitant filth hill is nearly on 
a level with the top of the portal. — The torus and 
overhanging cornice, the peculiar and characteristic 



120 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



beauties of Egyptian architecture, are here in full 
perfection ; pillars that in size and number surprize 
and baffle the eye, solidity that speaks of the sublime, 
and carving on stone, that in quantity and beauty 
resembles a picture gallery. The fabric is two hun- 
dred and eighty paces in circumference, and there 
is scarcely a spot of either wall, column, ceiling, or 
staircase but what is ornamented with lithography. 
Time, to spare so beauteous a work, has passed by 
without destroying, and the most delicate lines 
ever formed by the chisel remain uninjured, except 
by man. On one wall, less than fifteen feet in extent, 
are sixty-nine rows of sacred characters beautifully 
engraven — the hieroglyphics are of three kinds — ■ 
a simple line — bas-relief — and a relief in a contour 
— the contour is four inches in depth. That substan- 
tiality may not be wanting even in thought, the 
building partakes of the pyramidal form, and there 
is scarcely an aperture visible, lest a broken exterior 
should render its solidity imperfect: the outer wall 
is seven feet thick, not petty bricklayer's work, but 
every stone in itself seven feet in thickness ; and as 
if not sufficiently stable by its own weight is held 
by ingots of iron. Each stone of the architrave is 
more than twenty feet in length, and the pillars are 
twenty-two feet in circumference. On the capital 
of every pillar is represented Isis quadrifrons, un- 
fortunately only the lips of which remain ; the other 
features of the face have been carefully destroyed. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SIN AT, ETC. 121 

Had they been suitable to the lips, notwithstanding 
their coldness, they might have excited the idola- 
trous sensations of Pygmalion. 

13th. — Employed this day in examining and 
drawing. The pillars which had puzzled my arith- 
metical eye yesterday, are only tw r enty four in 
number, they stand in four rows, the intercolum- 
niation is not greater than the diameter of the 
pillar, and seven feet is too short a space between 
columns that are twenty-two feet in circumference ; 
they appear crow r ded in a nest, and overgrown — 
the ceiling instead of resting upon them is raised 
upon cross beams, and consequently divided into 
channels. Pressed by a want of light and air, and 
unwilling to destroy the integral strength of the 
exterior, the architect has compromised the matter 
by cutting embouchures, or loop-holes, which, though 
they may escape the eye when distant, appear to a 
near observer as paltry as the mouths of letter- 
boxes ; the very celebrated zodiac occupies less 
than half of a ceiling, which is only twenty feet by 
twelve, and it is to be lamented that hieroglyphics, 
though beautifully executed, are obsolete and use- 
less. The chamber of the zodiac is in the upper 
story of the building, near to which is a flight of 
steps that conducts to the highest roof or gazebo ; 
this was probably used as an observatory. Among 
the hieroglyphics is represented a staircase with 
deities ascending. The study of astronomy is na- 



122 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

tural in a country where telescopes are not re- 
quired, and to hold commerce with heaven is the 
part of priesthood. There are very few buildings 
that afford so much delight as the temple of Den- 
dera ; two days at least are gratefully employed 
here; but a work of such labour and expense would 
have been preferable if undertaken by the taste 
and elegance of the Grecian school. This temple 
is said to be dedicated to Isis. Near at hand is a 
smaller building, on every column of which is re- 
presented the evil geniusTyphon — the Devil a pillar 
of the church. The thorough Etymologist may 
perhaps derive the w 7 ord devil from Typhon by the 
go-between German word Tyfel. 

Kenneh — this is the pottery of Egypt — the jars 
manufactured here have the peculiar property of 
purifying w T ater, and are so cheap and so brittle that 
they constitute the principal ingredient in an Arab 
village — whether as furniture, or as the accommo- 
dation for pigeons, or assisting in the formation of 
the walls themselves, as in the circus of Caracalla; 
and having served these three purposes, they tend 
to raise a Monte Testaccio all round. In form 
they are quite as ugly as any antiques I ever saw > 
if they were only as useless and as expensive, we 
should see them in museums. A quantity of these 
jars, bound together, the mouths downwards, does 
the duty of a raft — on this an Arab takes his station 
and floats down the stream ; he retails his convey- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAT, ETC. 



ance as he goes, as is done with the firs on the 
Rhine; but in this country the poor, houseless, 
comfortless fellah merely represents a naked barge- 
man on the Thames, while the scenery of the Rhine, 
the extensive rafts, and the Swiss- built habitations 
floating down the river are beautifully picturesque. 
■ — Kenneh is also famous for other frail goods, and 
is one of the very few places in Egypt where a Franc 
may see licensed ladies without being bastonaded. 

14-th. — Copht.- — It is said that the Cophts derive 
their origin from this place — I know not where 
their language comes from, not a word of it is 
understood here. Some stones and broken pillars 
that once formed part of a Christian church, are 
now going hence to Siout to join the remains of 
the heathen temple coming from Antinoe ; here are 
also some small chambers very inferior in size and 
execution to the generality of Egyptian workman- 
ship. The Arabs make use of them as stables and 
dust holes, preferring for habitations their own 
earths to the temples of the disbelievers — I thanked 
myself very little for this day's long and broiling 
walk. 

Goos — now 8 a. kv — quite dark — little to be 
seen here even by day light, I wish to see so much 
by candle ray — found the conversazione — the Arabs 
meet every evening to drink, talk, and smoke at 
an appointed spot — a palm leaf shed, and a few 
lighted sticks is substitute for the English public- 



124 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

house ; there is also this difference in the respective 
customs that the drink here is limited to coffee, the 
talk, instead of like Doverscourt, all talkers and no 
hearers, is confined to the village story-teller ; all 
the other mouths are filled with smoke. On our 
requesting a guide to the ruins, the party refused 
on the ground of my being a Christian, therefore to 
prevent all difficulty the dragoman took his oath 
to my being a Turk. The only remnant of an- 
tiquity is a propylon, or rather the corona of it; 
for till within six feet of the winged globe, it is 
choked up with rubbish ; it is well worth the visit, 
at least I thought so by candle light. The winged 
globe is perfect, gigantic, and within reach ; the 
torus is equal to that of the great temple at 
Dendera. If there ever was a temple at this place 
proportionate to the gateway, how magnificent 
must it have been, and how overwhelming the 
destruction ! Not a fragment of it is visible : the 
evening breeze was up ; though gentle in point 
of force it was cutting cold; wherever we were 
sheltered from the wind there arose a warm vapour 
as if from dying embers, or a hot bed — such as I 
felt and remarked upon at Arabat Matfooner — the 
days are like those of summer, the nights like 
those of winter. 

1,5th* — Moored late at night in the centre of 
Thebes. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



CHAPTER XII. 

THEBES TOMBS- MEMNONIUM MEDINET-ABOU 

MEMNON LOUGSOR CARNAC — PSYLLUS DOGS 

CEMETERIES RELICS. 

16th. — -It is scarcely dawn, and there is sufficient 
time, if I wish it, to be within hail of Memnon 
long before that statue speaks to the sun ! 

The sun rises, the obelisks of Lougsor, the pil- 
lars are seen ; the whole of Thebes is visible. Situ- 
ate in a large plain are two colossal statues : to the 
west and to the east, to the north and to the 
south are temples ; the Nile, the # " Father of 
rivers," flows through the centre ; the panorama 
is circumscribed by mountains, a burning desert : 
the verdure at their base is beautifully brilliant, 
like that emerald spot winch flourishes 'mid cold 
sterility, the " Mer de glace:" the temples are in 
ruins, " ages are their dower $ 9f and, though Egyp- 
tian, they are picturesque : the whole day has not 
sufficed for me to run through the city of the hun- 
dred gates ; intoxicated with admiration, I must 

* The Nile is called^ by the Abyssinians, Abanchi— the father 
,o.f rivers. 



126 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



endeavour to cool my opinion like that council 
which proposes when drunk, deliberates when sober, 
and chooses the medium. 

17th. — Another day of delight, though spent in 
a tomb, but it is the tomb of a Theban king, the 
one lately discovered by Belzoni. Twenty-four 
hours are well employed here in examining the arts, 
the genius, and the doctrine, of the Egyptians, 
but perhaps my taste in that respect, may, like that 
for olives, be acquired — the principal deity, Osiris, 
is represented under the form of an ox — the chil- 
dren of Israel were led away by Moses, they re- 
belled, and formed a golden calf — here is a man 
helping somebody to a leg of beef, perhaps a sacri- 
fice, not to but of the god. The colouring, owing 
to the dryness of the atmosphere, retains a specious 
freshness, meseems as if the artificers had but now 
left their work — it is brilliant but gaudy ; in some 
places the designs have been sketched in red, and 
corrected in black, ready for the sculptor ; in these 
unfinished figures the sweetness of the face, and 
the extraordinary length and beauty of the eye *, 
rivet attention : there is that expression of love in 
the countenance and manner of Isis, as she wel- 
comes the hero to the tomb, and that contentment 
in the hero himself, that he seems " potius e vita. 

* At Munich I saw two young Brazilians, whose eyes are 
similar to these in the tomb — these children were lately brought 
from the river of the Amazons by Professor Marsius. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



migrari quam mori," and the female deity recalls 
the words of Eloisa. Plato must have been de- 
lighted to see the doctrine of immortality so beau- 
tifully pourtrayed. 

The number of regal tombs is stated to be forty, 
twenty-four of which still remain to reward the 
lucky adventurer. Belzoni has gained a consider- 
able prize — the other fifteen have greatly sunk in 
value ; the representations of agriculture, musicians, 
and a dispensary are, however, worth a visit ; the 
myriads of bats that oppose your passage are not 
the least remarkable among the curiosities of 

Egypt- 

1 8th. — The first mass of stones that interrupts 
my walk this day once formed a propylon and a 
temple : of these I believe that travellers have taken 
no notice, and they are quite right. 

The second temple is the Memnonium, so it is 
called improperly — the propylon is a mountain of 
laboured stone : and as at the gate-ways at Den- 
dera, so here on the right-hand at entering there 
are no human figures. — On the N. front, the king, 
giving orders to his captain going forth to battle, 
is majestically represented: the passage of this 
gateway is 39 feet in height. Magnificent as it ap- 
pears, it is not sufficient to prepare us for a statue 
to which it leads — this Colossus is unfortunately 
broken in pieces, but every fragment of it still 
excites admiration, the head and shoulders 20 feet 



128 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

long, and the breadth of the chest is twenty-two 
feet ; not without difficulty some of us Lilliputians 
managed to climb upon the face of this Gulliver — 
the little toe of whose foot is three feet long.— 
Near this is the remnant of another grenadier ; it 
was found impossible to transport the whole body to 
England \ the head was so good that it was taken 
off and sent in triumph to the British Museum, 
where it is named Memnon junior. 

Near this Memnonium is a smaller building, 
which is also called a temple — such are as frequent 
with Egyptian places of worship, as the vestry 
room with an English Church. It is said that 
small temples were erected for the accommodation 
of the vulgar — the many. This one has been con- 
verted to Christian uses by monks who were of 
course too lazy to deface the heathen deities, except 
with a mask of mud — in one of the chambers is a 
neat border designed from the lotus flower. 

Medinet Abou — the first structure excites but 
little interest — it possesses the sine-qua-non of 
Egyptian architecture — a torus. Adjoining this is 
a building said to be a palace ; the castellations on 
the top indicate that it is not a temple, and that it 
is not of Egyptian workmanship. Close at hand is an 
immense and noble fabric four hundred and twenty 
feet in length, but nearly half of it is filled to the 
very roof with sand. The exterior wall on the south 
side is entirely concealed by rubbish ; many of the 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



129 



representations on the other are interesting, and 
beautifully executed > the principal figures are cut 
six inches in depth, the others are comparatively 
but scratches. The hero is standing on the heads 
of his enemies, and, that he may show his supe- 
riority, the vanquished are reduced to pygmies ; he 
has drawn his bow to the utmost, and in elegance 
and design he reminds me of the Apollo Belvidere. 
Homer also might have borrowed from these 
scenes, for the gods themselves are here engaged 
in fight, and the horns of Isis and Osiris are visi- 
ble upon several of the figures. Beyond the cha- 
riot of the king is a lion, or tyger, in the jungles : 
Hamilton describes the subject to be the Egyptians 
repelling an invasion ; but why not Osiris invading 
India ? The amputated hands of the vanquished 
are presented to the conqueror : a natural and ef- 
fectual manner of preventing a second attack from 
the prisoners of war. The vestry-room belonging 
to this temple is now used as a cow-house. 

Memnon. — There are two gigantic statues which 
claim this title : they are situated near each other — 
each 50 feet high — both in the same position, sitting, 
■ — their hands resting on their knees ; that on the S. 
is formed of one solid block of granite, the other 
of various pieces. There is a doubt with some peo- 
ple as to which was accustomed to bid good morn- 
ing to the sun ; on the perfect figure there is no in- 
scription ; the broken one is covered with engraving 

K 



* 



130 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

as high as man can reach- — these inscriptions record 
the names of those who testify to having heard the 
statue utter the miraculous sound at sun-rise — it is 
said that the component pieces of this statue are 
not original ; but why does it not remain of one 
block like the other ? If it were an earthquake that 
broke it, it was a very partial one, to spare its 
neighbour ; or was it broken in search of the in- 
visible priest ? the Delphic oracle was acquainted 
with the principle of acoustics — and an oracular 
pipe is to be seen in one of the temples on the 
clitumnus; among the inscriptions on the statue 
is the following : 

HAIOAXiPOS THNn 
NOX KAISAPEIA2 ITA 
NIAAOS HKOY2A A KAI 
EMNH20HN THNX1NOS 
KAI AYANOT AAEA$ni. 

This deserves copying, as well as the lines said to 
be written on the pyramid : 

<c Vidi Pyramidas sine te dulcissime frater." 

See Davison, or Quaresmius. 

In this part of the city of the hundred gates we 
cannot at this moment procure any Christian food ; 
the Arabs set me the example of eating the grass 
of the field, a species of tares : they are very 
palatable, and we eat lettuces and radishes in like 
manner uncooked. 

Lougsor. — This temple swarms with dogs, Arabs, 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 131 



houses, and other filth, by the accumulation of 
which the entrance of this magnificent fabric, which 
is or ought to be fifty feet in height, will not now 
admit a man without stooping ; part of the building 
has been converted first into a Greek Church, now 
into a cinder hole — the obelisks, though half buried, 
are the finest in the world — on the propylon are 
represented, as usual, battles and victories. 

Carnac. — The connected parts of this temple 
extend four hundred and thirty paces, besides in- 
numerable gigantic appurtenances, columns and 
sphinges — on one side an avenue of these hetero- 
geneous animals extends a mile : here are deities 
with heads of bulls and cats — -the latter generally 
called Isis Tyger.— The cat was idolized perhaps as 
being the personification of some good property or 
attribute of the deity ; mummies of this animal 
are found. This temple is called the Diospolis ; on 
every pillar of that magnificent saloon which is 
named " de mille colonnes," is represented Pri- 
apus.* — This god appears to have been considered 
the " father of all," and to him was offered up an 
annual sacrifice — a virgin : — the devoted victim was 
kept a year previous in a neighbouring sanctuary 
by the priest, whose duty it was to instruct her in 
the holy mysteries. The outer walls of the temple 
are covered with the representations of battles and in 

* A book is written to explain the symbolical meaning of the 
obelisk. 

K 2 



132 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

these descriptive scenes the hero is always repre- 
sented as a giant, and his adversaries as pygmies: 
the victor thinks nothing of squeezing a couple of 
men under either arm like a gizzard, or of " bruis- 
ing his enemies with a rod of iron," or of holding 
up a regiment by the hair of their heads, and then, 
as if this bundle of men had but one neck, he de- 
termines to decapitate them at one blow : his ene- 
mies are made his footstool — these would appear 
extraordinary representations on a church, even 
while we are repeating some of those revengeful 
psalms, which are tolerated in our prayers. The 
Egyptian method of representing the superiority 
of the victor by size is but little complimentary. 
— It is true that Alexander ordered the beds for 
his soldiers to be made eight feet long, but 
Bonaparte would not have been ashamed to have 
been pourtrayed in his diminutive reality — little 
praise is due to a Brobdignagian among Lilliputians 
— Lord Wellington always allowed that the French 
fought bravely — the credit redounds upon himself, 
for he beat them — and even then they " ran away 
like lions." — Battles, chariots, and horses are the 
subjects of the gateways, as if they were triumphal 
arches, and at the same time dedicated to the deity 
in consequence of vows made previous to victory \ 
these gateways abound in Thebes, and hence arises 
the poetical description of the city of the hundred 
gates, and the hundred chariots at each. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 133 

It has been frequently remarked that no Egyp- 
tian buildings, except temples, are in existence — 
the houses of the deity are in all countries built 
with more care and expense than the houses of 
men ; priests governed Egypt and yet it might ra- 
ther be a matter of wonder that even their cathedrals 
remain, for the country has undergone many re- 
ligious as well as political changes ; no kingdom 
ever subsisted without a religion — and revolutions 
of state go hand in hand with revolutions in re- 
ligion — no wars are so implacable as those of fa- 
natics, and no enmity farther pursued ; — even the 
harmless groves of the Druids did not escape— the 
beauties of the Athenian temples are destroyed by 
the followers of Mohammed, and Moses himself 
would willingly have razed those fanes in which 
he was educated a priest. 

A great quantity of quails and long-tailed chat- 
tering partridges — the cashiff of Goos is staying 
here for the amusement of shooting — he shot his 
wife a short time ago, and has never been seen to 
smile since, except when he shoots a bird — he was 
lately cup-bearer to the Pasha, an office of con- 
siderable trust, and because he did not take the 
opportunity to administer poison, the viceroy made 
him governor of Goos — his wife shammed ill, and 
went to Siout to intrigue ; the governor of that 
town sent her back with a letter desiring her hus- 
band to take the law into his own hands— he shot 



134 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



her — he is a very good shot ; whenever a bird drop- 
ped to his gun, one of his attendants ran up im- 
mediately to wring the head off. 

Sitting with Grey on the top of one of the 
buildings of Carnac for the purpose of drawing — 
an Arab was employed to hold up an umbrella be- 
tween me and the sun — after a short time he re- 
quested permission to fetch his great coat (abba) 
as he found it cold. Grey's thermometer 86° — the 
heat varies from 55° to 102°. 

The Psyllus or snake charmer. — It is supposed 
that snakes live in these habitations like rats — and 
two patriarchal Arabs profess that they will come 
when they call them — we went into houses and cow- 
houses, the Arabs jabbered an incantation, of 
which we could only understand the words " come 
out, come out, in the name of Abraham, if you 
do not come out you shall die," notwithstanding 
the threat the animals stopped their ears, and we 
impatient and tired were preparing to go, when two 
large snakes made their appearance ; the initiated 
immediately seized them, carried them out upon 
the plain and commenced singing — the snakes with 
good ears for such music began to dance — so it is 
called — the animal raises itself half length upright, 
and in this position jumps about and looks around 
him. — I took them up, much to the astonishment of 
the natives, and to the indignation of the dancing 
masters, who ashamed of being exposed before 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



135 



their neighbours, pretended to be alarmed at my 
temerity — they warned me to guard my eyes — my 
servant Giovanni likewise handled them, but he is 
privileged, being a Maltese, and snakes in re- 
membrance of the Saint, will not bite a Maltese, 
especially if born on Saint Paul's day. The magi 
have also tame scorpions, and gave me leave to be 
bit by them, promising that if I should previously 
swallow a little of their prescription that I should 
not be hurt. 

Cry Christian and let slip the dogs of Thebes — 
the dogs of Thebes are as knowing and as savage 
as those of Alexandria — the streets are about a 
yard wide, the houses five feet high, and the dogs* 
live on the top of them ; the risk that a man runs 
in passing, depends upon the length of his nose. 
When the French were here, the dogs died very 
rapidly — the French manage things very well — it 
was thought that the plague had carried them off, 
unfortunately it never infects the dogs, notwith- 
standing the beautiful but fanciful description by 
Lucretius the poet of nature. 

In the city of the hundred gates, the inhabitants 
on the east bank live in mud hovels, on the west 
they live underground ; part of a dark cellar is 

* Linnaeus, speaking of the dog says, " Musselmannis ex- 
pellitur." A Turk will not allow dogs to enter their houses, 
because they do not wear shoes. A Turk always takes off his 
shoes ; he sits upon the floor ; and so well are the dogs broke 
in, that I never could seduce one to come upon the mat. 



136 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



occupied by the Arab and his family, the remainder 
by cows, goats, dogs, corpses, and other curiosities ; 
in some are to be found ten or twenty mummies ; 
the plain is strewed with broken bones, the coffins 
are used for firewood, and the araomum * or bi- 
tumen offends the nose wherever there is a fire. — 
A mummy may be bought for five or ten shillings, 
and in consequence of traffic, many of these Trog- 
lodytes are become men of property, worth five or 
six hundred sixpences. On this, the W. side, is the 
necropolis, and here are found all the relics ; the 
mountains are hollowed into cemeteries, where gap- 
ing sepulchres appear like the mouths of a man of 
war — the Arabic chain is too far from the scite of 
the town, to have been used as a burial place — no 
Egyptian was buried where vegetation could live, 
and those who died on the eastern side, were ferried 
over by the Charon. The trouble that the Egyptians 
took to preserve their bodies causes their destruc- 
tion, and " the race of Nilus barters for their 
kings." I was standing by when the resurrection 
men found a sepulchre, they offered me the haul, 
unopened, for four guineas. It proves to be Gre- 
cian-Egyptian, the first of its kind hitherto disco- 
vered ; three chambers, fourteen coffins, on each 
of which was placed a bunch of sycamore branches ; 
these branches fell to atoms at the touch — there are 
also coffinless bodies, having the appearance of 
* Hence the word Mummy. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 13'7 

leather, dried in the same manner as is still prac- 
tised by the Capuchin friars in Sicily : one of these 
stood erect at the entrance, the others were pros- 
trate on benches ; the heads were shaved ; the 
beards were of a few days growth ; on the princi- 
pal coffin is the following inscription : 

CI2THP KOPNHAIOT ITOAAIOY MHTPOC 
$IAONTOCAPXf2N 0HBI2N ^ 
the hieroglyphical figures testify to the degeneracy 
of the art ; the papyrus found in this case,* is 
not, as is usual, rolled up, but folded flat ; the body 
was enveloped in thirty linen wrappers, the hands 
and mouth gilt: — from another I copied an inscrip- 
tion, which attests the coffin to be about sixteen 
hundred and fifty years old — some long earthen- 
ware jars were in the tomb, but empty. 

The women and children pester us to death, de- 
manding becksheesh; the former give us in ex- 
change relics of the dead, such as idols and small 
figures, the latter collect in crowds behind one's 
back, and cry out " merchant give me half a far- 
thing," and on turning round even to comply with 
their request, they all run away, as if their nurses 
had taught them to dread a Franc as a devil. 

Among the relics that I procured, are earthen- 
ware rings, scarabees, pocket idols, and represen- 
tations of the devil playing the harp ; also various 
animals. These little deities were probably, when in 

* The case and papyrus presented to the British Museum. 



138 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



fashion, held as sacred as the household gods of 
the Romans, or worn round the neck, as Christians 
wear a string of beads and a cross, or as the 
Catholic has a crucifixion at the head of his 
bed. Among the dead I found platted hair, and 
hands, the nails of which prove the ancient use of 
henneh ; also a female body entirely covered with 
an elegant network of blue beads or bugles, orna- 
mented with small scarabees and deities. The im- 
mortality of the soul, the most sublime idea that 
human energy ever conceived, was known to the 
Egyptians — the care which they took to preserve 
their bodies implies a wish at least to rise in their 
wn forms, without having been digested by worms, 
and running the chance of getting wrong arms and 
legs : judging, by analogy, that they should be hun- 
gry at waking, bread was placed in the tomb to 
refresh them, when the last trump should call them 
to breakfast. — How many of them will shiver to 
find themselves in London or Saint Petersburg, if 
it should happen to be about Christmas time. 

I discovered a basket full of the viaticum, about 
a shilling's worth of biscuits, to last the whole 
voyage of I know not how many days from this 
world to the next: the panier* is of the same con- 
struction as those still made at the Cataracts, and 
in South America, and perhaps every other place 
where the same materials are used. 

* Sent to the British Museum. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 139 



The whole of ancient Thebes is the private pro- 
perty of the English and French consuls ; a line 
of demarcation is drawn through every temple, and 
these buildings that have hitherto withstood the 
attacks of Barbarians , will not resist the specula- 
tion of civilised cupidity, virtuosi, and anti- 
quarians. 



140 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



CHAPTER XIII. 

HERMONTIS ESNEH LATOPOLIS — C ONTRA-L ATON 

HEGGS ELEITHIAS EDFOU HADJAR SILSILIS 

KOUM OMBOS ISLE OF ELEPHANTINE ESSOUAN 

CATARACTS PHILCE. 

Mr. Grey determines to return to Cairo, and I re- 
solve to ascend to Ebsambal. I dine for the last 
time on board my friend's boat — his cook is a 
Maltese and a Catholic, his dragoman is a Turk 
and a Hadji. The dragoman, because he is a 
Mussulman, refuses to eat with a Christian : the 
cook, because he is not only a Catholic, but the 
son of a Knight of Malta # , refuses to give the 
Turk any thing to eat — the whole boat is conse- 
quently in eternal hot water. There is an Arab on 
board, to whom, on account of his good conduct, 
Grey has been extremely liberal ; he is perpetually 
crawling into the cabin to kiss his patron's hand, 
and pour forth benedictions, the most frequent of 
which is " May your father and mother be blessed" 
— there is something peculiarly beautiful and com- 
prehensive in the idea of blessing one's parents — 

* The Knights of Malta swear not to have wives. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



141 



the benediction occasionally includes all one's an- 
cestors from the creation — the lad belongs to my 
boat, but liberally offers to accompany Mr. Grey 
to Christendom*, on condition of receiving a wife 
and fortune. 

Hermontis — here is a small temple : the repre- 
sentations on the walls of which are confined prin- 
cipally to animals, elephants, birds, cameleopard, 
and the fox or jackall, the indelicate Typhon dis- 
plays the character of the ourang outang. This 
menagerie is said to be dedicated to the evil genius ; 
but in an inner apartment the female deity is nurs- 
ing her infant Horus, who is eventually to become 
the enemy and conqueror of the Typhon. 

Esneh — Latopolis, nothing remains visible ex- 
cept a portico ; and this, though in the middle of 
one of the principal towns, is filled for the greater 
part with dirt, and the remainder with bales of 
merchandise — the dirt is collected to such a height 
that the road- way is on a level with the roof of the 
body of the temple, and on this are built the pygmy 
houses of the Arabs. The portico, as much of it 
at least as is visible, is not so striking, but more 
pleasing than that at Dendera ; the figures are not 
so exquisitely finished, and are of a different cha- 
racter — Isis has a bewitching half modesty in her 

* This lad on the passage to Cairo took sundry mementoes 
cf Mr. Grey and the cook, with which he decamped. 



142 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



face, but is rather clumsily embonpoint — the ge- 
neral figure is spare and delicate, and pleases me, 
notwithstanding Winkleman's observation that the 
Egyptians did " not sacrifice to the Graces" — 
the capitals only of the columns are to be seen, and 
they display the taste of the Egyptians — regular 
irregularity — like the roses of a Roman archway — 
variations of the same subject, with a family like- 
ness throughout the whole. There is not one of 
them that I would wish to be absent, and yet the 
want of uniformity destroys the effect of all — like 
a dozen of various, though good wines, mixed to- 
gether. 

At Contra-Laton is a small temple, which ap- 
pears to advantage in the distance only. Three 
miles north of Esneh is another, among the hiero- 
glyphics on which is a serpent with legs and arms 
acting footman to a lady with a cat's face. 

Heggs — Eleithias — a wall of crude brick 30 feet 
in thickness — also a temple, and rocks, and, there- 
fore, yawning sepulchres. The paintings in these 
are interesting, and uninjured \ ploughing, reap- 
ing, weighing, fishing, slaying, feasting, dancing, 
rowing, also a funeral procession, the widow with 
hair dishevelled, followed by friends who come to 
weep and eat. The remainder is devoted to pre- 
parations for a feast — weeping and gnashing of 
teeth, like an Irish wake. 

Edfou — though seen after Dendera, and inferior 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 143 

in size to Carnac, yields to neither in effect — the 
mole and entrance are the noblest in Egypt — the 
overhanging cornice alone projects nearly five feet 
— among the representations, is the sacrifice of a 
gazelle — spearing a turtle of the Nile — and a figure 
setting up obelisks, two at a time, as if they were 
nine-pins. When Pope Pius raised that very small 
obelisk in front of Saint Peter's, it was considered 
a work of such danger and difficulty, that it was 
decreed, that whosoever should speak during the 
performance should suffer death. 

In lieu of boats, rafters made of reeds are in fa- 
shion here, two, three, or four sheaves of which 
are bound together ; after use they are easily drawn 
on shore, placed up on end, soon become dry and 
fit for another voyage ; but I find it upon trial to 
be necessary that the adventurer should be skilled 
in the art of self balancing, and a fatalist. 

Hadjar Silsilis — the rock of the chain — here the 
Nile forces its way through a low ridge of stone, 
which still seems inclined to dispute the passage. 

Koum Ombos is a noble ruin, thirteen pillars 
are yet standing, and two are fallen ; this temple 
differs from all others, inasmuch as the number of 
pillars is uneven, and that there are two entrances 
and two adyta. At this place the crocodile was wor- 
shipped, and one of these water devils was fastened 
by a golden chain — he is here personified — pre- 



144 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



serving only his own head, seated on a throne, and 
receiving offerings. When Egypt was divided into 
nomes, coins were struck for each — the last disco- 
vered bears the head of Trajan* — the reverse a 
crocodile. We passed the burial-place of a saint — 
one of our crew invoked a fair wind in his name, 
and demands becksheesh, because in consequence 
of his prayers we arrive this night at Syene alias 
Essouan. 

The islet of Elephantine is in part covered with 
palm trees and corn, partly with ruins ; the mud cot- 
tages of the natives add to the picturesque : rocks, 
harbingers of the cataracts, break the stream on 
every side, and peeping also through the verdure, 
indicate that the " flowery isle" is stolen from the 
river. The southern extremity is well defended 
by masses of granite, the alluvial deposit that col- 
lects behind them, is guarded by masonry ; here 
are some remnants of Egyptian temples, and among 
the curiosities of the island is a vine, the only one 
that I have seen in Egypt. On the right bank of 
the river is the town of Essouan — it is as vile as 
any other town, but the people are much happier, 
for there is not a soldier amongst them. On that 
account industry is for once to be discovered. 
Here is a small chamber of a temple, but the ob- 

* This has been heard of, but not seen by the Editor of the 
latest work on medals — his description is not correct. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



145 



servatory and Nilometer exist only in remembrance. 
About three miles to the S. E. is a pillar of red gra- 
nite, bearing a Latin inscription (See Appendix). 
The women of Essouan never leave their houses 
while the sun is up : before sunrise and after sunset 
they perform their avocations of fetching water — 
the male inhabitants are always armed with either 
gun, pistol, sword, dirk, lance, or bludgeon — every 
body has one or as many of these articles as he can 
get. An old fellow, named Boosnac, is nearly per- 
fect, having all these utensils in use, and together 
too — -a walking armoury ; besides all these weapons 
of offence, he has certain charms which he consi- 
ders as an infallible preservative against all assaults 
of the devil or man — in this respect they are su- 
perior to the print of the Virgin worn by the Mal- 
tese, or the coral attached to the neck or watch of 
the Neapolitan. Boosnac's magical power is sewed 
up in bright red leather bags, and were mistaken 
by me for a chain of Bologna sausages ; he calls 
them relics of Selim, and such confidence do they 
inspire, that he defied me to stab him, thinking that 
any blade would bend against his body. The dirks 
that the natives wear are used to goad asses with, 
and to the left arm of every male in the place is 
girded one of these useful articles. There is at 
this moment existing a feud between the inhabitants 
of Essouan and those of Shellaale, or the cataracts. 
Tkey do not fight for any Christian reason, the only 



146 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



trophies of a victory are heads — a party gone from 
this place has joined the battle, and is expected 
shortly to return, some with heads and some with- 
out. In our excursion to the pillar we were ac- 
companied by an armed force, who amused them- 
selves with a sham fight — some of the party cut the 
buttons from my coat, and stole my pocket-hand- 
kerchief in the most civilised manner. — We are 
delayed here because my dragoman is married to 
Miss Boosnac — he has three other wives, and as 
he is in the habit of accompanying travellers up 
and down the river, he leaves them in his route to 
be at hand. A raggamuffin comes on board to 
make arrangements for passing the cataracts — he 
is to rind ropes and men, and to receive fifty shil- 
lings — four times as much as he ought to have — 
however, I pity the poor fellow. His waistcoat is 
trimmed with mutton peel ; observing that I took 
notice of it, he told me with no little pride, that 
this sheep's skin is the pelisse with which he was 
invested as cashiff, that he is governor of Essouan, 
and that these are his court robes. 

The inhabitants of Elephantine differ materially 
from their neighbours, both in appearance and in 
manners. The "fair sex" here are not afraid of 
the sun'; they are not even veiled, though, being as 
yet unaccustomed to Francs, they ran away at our 
approach, and one little girl drew another with her 
as if a broad wheeled waggon were coming. The 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 147 

walls are very convenient, not being above five feet 
high, so that upon our peeping over them, the 
young ladies became bolder. Their eyes are ex- 
pressive, their features handsome, their colour that 
which needs no art, their limbs graceful, and, like 
Thompson's beauty unadorned, are unencumber- 
ed with clothes. The wardrobe of an Elephantine 
girl is comprised in a fringe of leather strings, 
which is girded round the lower waist, and in my 
wish to purchase a specimen of this wearing ap- 
parel, I experienced considerable difficulty in the 
attempt, and even danger in my success. Without 
any disparagement to beauty that in Europe I have 
gazed on with delight, I must still feel that there 
is among these sable nymphs that regularity of 
feature, that liquid lustre of the eye, that elegance 
of form, and that naivete of unsophisticated na- 
ture, which renders the island of Elephantine pre- 
ferable to the palace. 

The wind being fair, we send our luggage by 
land to the village of Shellaale — -the reiss or cap- 
tain of the cataracts comes on board, and we leave 
Essouan. Granite islets become every moment 
more frequent and more boldly picturesque— the 
river assumes the appearance of a lake cradled in 
granite, the wild duck and heron are flying around, 
and the fisherman is diving or running about the 
rocks, or traversing the stream in every direction, 



148 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



His raft is the single trunk of a palm-tree, on 
which, though round, he contrives to sit, and even 
to rest his feet on it also. His handle is on his 
head — his pipe in his mouth — his dirk tied to his 
arm, and paddling with his hands, he manages, not 
merely to retain his position, but even to ascend 
the stream. The river now forces its way between 
a small island and some blocks of granite, which 
cause a fall of two or three feet — this we have to 
pass — the crew put themselves in swimming order 
—not without their dirks — a rope is made fast to 
the boat, and the reiss, with the evolutions of a 
feugalman, and the antics of a maitre de dance, gives 
the word of command to fifty fellows, who imme- 
diately commence crying out " Hay-lay-essah.'* 
Owing to very bad management we shipped a con- 
siderable quantity of water, to the everlasting in- 
jury of my hortus siccus. The surface of the 
stream, which has hitherto been rippled to the ex* 
tent of fifty yards, now becomes smooth. I ask 
where are the cataracts, and am informed that we 
have passed them — the cataracts of the Nile — the 
deafening warning of whose waters used to be heard 
to an incredible distance, but now they will not do 
rne the favour to drown the voices of my boatmen. 
The cataracts of the Nile are not more formidable 
than London bridge. 

We landed at Sheliaale — the natives of this place* 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC 149 

and tlrose who bad come from Essouan, draw their 
swords, poise their lances, wield their bludgeons, 
and make a show./)! fight — we, who are strangers 
to the cause, are desired to withdraw, but interfere 
and adjust matters. These people have carried on 
the feud for generations, and even though Egypt 
and Nubia are now under one governor, they are 
still, in this instance, the borderers of hostile king- 
doms. 

Our crew are in high spirits, they are entering 
their own country, thinking that I must feel 
equal pleasure with themselves, they request me 
to pay either for that or for trespassing on their 
land — they commence a song, of which I can un- 
derstand but little except the words Tolooba and 
Nuba, and, " Come love to the cataracts and you 
shall be clothed in Cashmere, Nubia is the land of 
roses.' ' 

The moon lights us on our way to Philce. This 
island is covered with temples, columns, obelisks, 
and other proofs of Egyptian zeal and labour, and 
I have already wandered twice round every part. 
Moonlight has a twofold advantage, it increases 
beauty and hides defects — except of the three 
women who inhabit this island— these graces of 
Dunsinane soon discovered me— they are old, ugly, 
and cry becksheesh* 

The witches haunted me ail night, in the morn- 



150 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



ing I found them muttering becksheesh. Here are 
temples, corridors, obelisks, and sphinxes, each in- 
dividual part is good, but badly put together — 
among thirty columns there are not two capitals 
alike ; that of the palm-leaf is the most elegant, but 
inferior to Grecian taste — a flight of steps here, as 
at Elephantine, descends to the river, and might 
with equal propriety be called the Nilometer, be- 
cause the Nilometer is not otherwise discovered — 
the hieroglyphics are in general coarse, and seem 
like bad imitations of the Egyptian stile- — spirited 
actions represented without life, or in clumsy harli- 
quinade — and the slender figure is metamorphosed 
into bloated vulgarity. Among the exceptions is 
Isis rising from a bowl ; she holds a graduated 
staff, on which is suspended the key of the Nile — 
perhaps the Nilometer w T as like this. In contemplat- 
ing this figure I am happy to be reminded of the 
beautiful Venus Aphrodite at Florence. Here is a 
monolithic chapel ; it resembles a confessional box, 
and in this some unfortunate sacred animal was coop- 
ed up as a prisoner to be worshipped as a god — an 
obelisk only two feet five inches square, at the base ; 
it is of stone, and on it is a Greek inscription. Egyp- 
tian obelisks are large, and of granite — and it is 
further remarkable, that the only material at hand 
is granite. The primitive Christians have left proof 
of their zeal here : the French also have been here, 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 151 

and have engraven a record to their honour. The 
French army, under General Buonaparte, beat and 
pursued the Mamelukes as far as the island of 
Philce. 



152 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



CHAPTER XIV. 

DEBOOD KARDASSY KALEBSHY DONDOOR 

GWERSH-HASSAN DAKKY KORTY MAHARRAG 

SEBOUAH DJIBEL ET TELLY DEHR THOOMOZ 

IBRIM ARNKY EBSAMBAL* 

In a few minutes after leaving Philce we landed at 
a mosque, from the minaret of which, according to 
the superstition of the natives, Mohammed shower- 
ed down destruction on the disbelievers of the 
neighbouring island : this is a various reading of 
the same allegory of Beybait. As Mohammed pro- 
fessed to reform the Christians, so Sehoud, the 
Luther of the East, protests against the doctrine of 
Mohammed, and employs his adversary's means of 
propagating his own opinions : at the head of the 
Wahabi he has already made such advances to- 
wards a radical reform, as nearly to have annihi- 
lated the Turks. He carries his hate so far as to 
tear open the grave of the most politic and most 
powerful of sectarians that ever existed — the Na- 
poleon in fanaticism — there are various dissenters 
among the followers of Mohammed, but in this 
land of ignorance I do not hear of any absurdity 
equal to Johanna Southcote, and the young Jewess * 
who made a mistake and brought forth a girl. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 158 

Six of the crew were preparing to take the boat 
in tow, but had scarcely stepped on shore for that 
purpose when the natives came down to warn 
them off, requesting them not to tread down their 
crops. The cultivated land at this place is about 
three yards in width — the boatmen return on board 
and renew their song of " Nubia is the land of 
roses." 

At Debood is a temple, small and unfinished, 
but neat : it was intended to have been of such 
consequence as to have had three propylons and 
two monolithic chapels. 

Kardassy, a small elegant temple ; also one pil- 
lar of another, and the foundation of a third, by 
the walls of which last is circumscribed the whole 
of the modern village.— In the neighbourhood are 
quarries, Greek inscriptions, and mummy pits ; the 
bodies are hard and dry, and look like figures made 
to suit painters or tailors ; two corpses lie exposed 
at the entrance without a rag on, but even in that 
respect they are not much worse off than the living 
—the name Kardassy is applied to about six miles 
extent of country, throughout which are visible the 
foundations of many buildings that would, if com- 
pleted, have rendered it a city of temples, 

Kalebshy is a noble ruin ; the massive propylon 
is the only part that has preserved its original 
form in spite of the attempts to render it pictu- 
resque. One of the chambers or courts is 94 feet 



154 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



long ; here is also to be seen a sepulchre, on the 
walls of which are represented a victory over Jews ; 
the scene embraces various animals, greyhounds, 
apes, ostriches, gazelles, camel-leopards, lions, and 
oxen. 

At Dondoor is a small temple, dedicated to Isis, 
to whom the king or founder is offering two turtle- 
doves ; in the back ground is a figure in a robe-de- 
chambre holding in one hand a dove, and with the 
other enjoining silence by pressing a finger on the 
lips; the border is a repetition of Isis apparently 
enceinte. 

Gwersh Hassan — here is an excavation in the 
mountain, on entering into which, the astonishment 
and delight that seizes your mind is equal to that 
which would be felt on entering a room twice as 
high as rooms generally are, and in which stand 
six giants, three times as tall as a tall man*' ; they 
are drawn up in line, three on either side, but do 
not improve upon examination | for they are so ill 
proportioned that they appear to have been made by 
a stone-cutter's journeyman, rather than by a sculp- 
tor ; the ancle is thirty-three inches in circumfe- 
rence, but the foot is only a yard long, and from the 
sole to the knee it is scarcely more. While we were 
employed in examining this temple, the natives came 
and stopped the entrance, crying out becksheesh ; 
we had been so provident as to bring with us whips 
* More than eighteen feet high- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 155 

and fire-arms, the mere sight of the latter super- 
seded the necessity of paying ransom ; but the 
Nubians are very different from the Arab fellahs, 
for instead of taking an application of the whip, 
without a murmur, they drew forth their swords 
and lances, and raised the war cry. Our boat was 
fortunately at hand, and we jumped on board im- 
mediately. 

Dakky over one of the minor doors, is an in- 
scription in hieroglyphical characters, accompanied 
by one in Coptic. The early Christian mission- 
aries have had possession of this temple and turned 
out the Egyptian apis ; but it is now a den of 
thieves. 

Korty — the temple here is so small, that a cow 
in search of shelter from the cold, is in vain endea- 
vouring to force herself in ; the fabric is probably 
dedicated to a cow goddess. 

Maharrag — -more temples. 

Sebouah — more temples ; the stone employed 
here is so soft, that the hieroglyphics are defaced 
by time ; this is the only place where time has done 
so much as M 

Djibel et Telly — the rocks assume a feature 
altogether new ; they become bold, pointed, and 
picturesque, but the country produces nothing 
spontaneously, except rock ; yet even here are those 
who sing about the land of roses ; the soil on which 
grow the crops of corn and tobacco, is borrowed 



156 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



for the occasion from the river ; the inhabitant's 
are reduced to the necessity of building their houses 
of stone, for stone is cheaper than dirt. 

We now behold several acres of cultivated land, 
a vine, a lemon-tree, and a grove of palms, a quan- 
tity of houses, a mosque, and two boats, in short, 
Dehr, the capital of Nubia. A village, contains in 
general about four or five houses, and as many in- 
habitants, but here the garrison alone consists of 
ten men and a boy, including officers and super- 
numeraries, A very short time has elapsed since 
this place boasted of its own king. The Pasha of 
Egypt drove the poor Caractacus from his throne 
of mud, and, with ten soldiers, holds military pos- 
session of the territory ; not that the Nubians want 
the will to resist, but because resistance would be 
useless; they did commence rebellion, and mur- 
dered three messengers sent to collect the taxes. 
The Pasha put thirty of the natives to death, and 
Nubia is now dependant upon Egypt. Immediately 
on our arrival at Dehr, a man came on board to 
know what present we had brought for the governor 
— a governor under the porte is drest in very brief 
authority, and, therefore, while in office, rackrents 
to the utmost of his power, and thinks that he has 
as much right to a present, on being visited, as a 
boy at Eton has to a " pouch." I had carried with 
me shawls, soap, coffee-cups, and gunpowder, but 
not submitting to the system of giving upon com- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



157 



pulsion, I determined to render the custom nuga- 
tory, and this I made the messenger fully to under- 
stand ; presently another man came on board, 
bringing a plate of parched dourrha, and seemed 
determined not to go till he had received a present. 
I tendered him a bit of soap, such as I thought 
his t( Meanness" would just accept: he, however, 
spurned it with contempt ; and I then offered to 
give him a passage to Ibrim, and desired the reiss 
to let go the boat ; he now begged for the soap, 
and I reduced my previous offer to one half : this 
he took, hid it in his sleeve, and departed. Soap 
is of great consideration in this country, and is an 
appendage to the title of one of the kings of Ethi- 
opia : instead of calling him the most August Ma- 
jesty, he is styled King Soap — Sultan Saboon. — The 
antiquities at Dehr consist of a temple and sepul- 
chral chamber, excavated in the mountain. 

Thoomoz. — At this village we were desired to go 
and look at some hieroglyphics — they were once 
scratched in the rocks, and now are scratched out. 

As we approach towards Ibrim we behold a lofty 
rock rising abruptly from the water's edge, and 
crowned by a ruined castle ; after a very fatiguing 
ascent we arrive at the top, and find that the pic- 
turesque illusion is formed by hovels, and these 
are deserted ; for who would live in such a place ? 
Even the temple builders^ hitherto indefatigable* 



158 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



have left only a doorway, on which the winged 
globe was about to be begun. St. John is here 
painted by the early Christians, and is in solitary 
possession of this wilderness. We marched up the 
hill, and then — but I know of few hills except 
Vesuvius, Etna, and the Righi that have satisfied 
me for the trouble of ascending. 

Arnky is a village that deserves to be mentioned, 
because the houses stand in straight lines, and there 
are two of them having each a room above the 
ground floor : notwithstanding the peculiar atten- 
tion that has been paid to the construction of this 
place, the population amounts to only two living 
souls, and these are Mohammedan women. 

Ebsambal is the ne-plus-ultra of Egyptian labour, 
and is in itself an ample recompense for my jour- 
ney. There is no temple of either Thebes, Den- 
dera, or Philce, that can be put in competition with 
it : the first objects of admiration are six gigantic 
statues sculptured in relief on the mountain rock ; 
they are standing upright, with their arms hanging 
stiffly by their side ; beneath each hand is also an 
upright figure ; and these figures that appear like 
children in the hands of giants are seven feet high : 
picture to yourself then the six larger statues of 
such a size that a man who exhibits himself at 
three-ha'pence per foot would scarcely arrive above 
the knee. The statues of the neighbouring temple 

7 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 159 

are much larger, and are on a scale of nearly 70 
feet, or equal to nine copies of the Irish Giant* 
placed in a perpendicular line. Unfortunately, 
the mountain is not of sufficient height to render 
these colossi erect : they are therefore represent- 
ed sitting ; and there are still more serious de- 
fects attending them — one is entirely destroyed, 
and two, in consequence of the accumulation of 
sand, are buried up to their necks ; still a suffi- 
ciency is seen to convey an idea of their magni- 
tude. The sand has covered up the door-way 5 
and the natives inform me that it will be a labour 
of thirty men, and twelve days, to effect an en- 
trance. To prove that they are not to be believed, 
I forced in a pole, round this I wound a sheet, and 
having spread another upon the surface of the sand, 
to prevent it from flowing down upon us, we suc- 
ceeded, after seven hours' exertion, in constructing 
a kind of wind-sail, or chimney : by means of this 
I entered, and immediately beheld eight majestic 
statues, whose size, when compared with that of 
man, and still more magnified by the dimness that 
surrounds them, calls upon me to corroborate the 
reports in favour of this temple above all others. 
These Atlasses support the roof, and, ranged four 
on either side, they form a guard of honour for 
you to pass. I very soon found it necessary 
to reduce my habiliments to a pocket-handker- 
* One Mr. O'Brien, 



160 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



chief, for the heat equals at least that of a Turk- 
ish vapour bath, or the solfa terra at PuzzuoJi 
— my clothes are dripping wet, and my body 
is flowing away like Proteus. Among the hiero- 
glyphics I found several of interest, for though 
the softness of the material will not allow that 
firm fine line which is observeable on granite, it 
admits of a greater freedom of execution : even 
the designs vary in some respects from the same- 
ness that prevades the works in Egypt. Here is a 
hero in his chariot with his bow drawn, the hawk 
of Osiris hovering over him like an eagle over 
a Roman victor. Chariots are clashing against 
chariots, and horses are represented falling, but 
falling as if from heaven, perpendicularly, like Phae- 
ton's — here is a warrior lancing another in single 
combat, and this is the only instance in which I 
have ever observed that the victor has had an ad- 
versary that he ought not to be ashamed of. The 
statues, like those of Osiris at the Memnonium, 
have their arms crossed upon their breast, hold- 
ing in one hand a tau, and in the other a flagel- 
lum. Some of the designs are similar to those in 
the tombs of the kings, and in other places ; such 
as the deity welcoming the hero, and the victor 
slaying a bundle of his enemies, raising a falchion 
in one hand, and with the other holding the hair 
of their heads ; but in this instance he adds his 
bow at the same time. Among the sacrifices is that 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 161 

of sheep to Osiris Bull. In the last chamber are 
four statued figures, in front of whom is an altar, 
on which is engraven a small tablet of hierogly- 
phics. I had amused myself here for four hours 
when I began to think of making my escape ? which 
is not so easy as entering. I had to work against 
the stream, and I found that the difficulty increas- 
ed in proportion to my exertions ; for wherever I 
forced my knee, it undermined the sand, which 
straightforth poured down as subtle as quicksilver. 
My dragoman (Mohammed) who had been in this 
temple with Mr. Banks, declined entering with me, 
thinking it more for my safety that he should re- 
main on the outside to prevent any one from run- 
ning up and giving motion to the sand : he now 
came forward, and with great exertion managed to 
draw me through. Here I found a Russian colonel, 
very impatient and very angry at having been stop- 
ped. He went to the entrance, and returned im- 
mediately fully satisfied— the aperture was not large 
enough for him. My Maltese servant and two 
others went in, and there was really no danger, for 
had the sand descended, the windsail would have 
supplied them with air, and they would have been 
dug out in a fortnight. I shall hence turn my 
boat northward, as I am engaged to meet you on 
the Troad, and am well contented to finish my 
journey in this part, with having seen the noblest 
monument of antiquity that is to be found on the 
banks of the Nile. 

M 



162 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA*, 



CHAPTER XV. 

OF THE NUBIAN. 

The Nubian is slender but gracefully made, his 
beauty, like that of a statue, never changes, and he 
is entirely free from fat : this is the more fortunate, 
as he is naked : — a publican, or a coachman would 
make but an inelegant figure in a state of nudity. 
Many a Nubian who pretends to decency ties a 
cord round his waist, and on this is hung a screen 
of grass, but long before evening the grass is dried 
up and withered. He is as fond as the Arab is 
of becksheesh, and when he does ask, he asks 
like the beggar in Gil Bias, putting you in fear 
of your life ; he places his spear close to your 
breast, and is unwilling to remove it, until either 
his demand is complied with or till he sees fire 
arms. He is as afraid as Junius of gunpowder, 
and he knows that the length of a bullet is beyond 
that of the arma bianca. He is, however, bolder 
than the Arab, which is owing to his freedom ; at 
least it is but lately that Nubia has been subdued. 
The fellahs, when I have been shooting, have run 
away eight or ten together; but the Nubian, though 
alone, has unslung his spear and maintained his 
4 ground. The Arab is so completely in dread of 
the Pasha that he never carries his natural propen- 



THE 0ASFS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. I 6$ 

sities beyond robbery, but the Nubian does not 
hesitate to commit murder. Three men at the ca- 
taracts killed a traveller whom they asked to supper : 
a breach of hospitality unknown among the Be- 
douins or freebooters of the desert. We were 
constantly obliged to keep a night watch, and were 
once alarmed by sundry voices issuing from under 
cover, and commanding us to send some of our 
party on shore, to this we replied that we were 
prepared with fire arms and would shoot the first 
man who would do us the favour to show himself, 
At another time when I had wandered out of sight 
of my boat, and alone, four men tried to intercept 
me, and I eluded them only by a feint. In our 
voyage through Egypt I desired one of the crew 
who had been accustomed to cater for us, to go to 
a neighbouring village for provisions ; he begged 
to decline it, as the last time that he had been there 
he had killed two Arabs. This confession did not 
excite the least sensation among his countrymen, 
though among themselves, retaliation, the most na- 
nural law of man, is in full force. We found a 
party of forty men seated in a circle, by each of 
whom were spears stuck into the ground, and a 
sword and shield. Two shekhs or elders were car- 
rying on the debate, by which it appeared that the 
inhabitants of one village had murdered three of 
another. The elder on one side was endeavouring 
to keep the peace and to arrange a price for the 

m 2 



164 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

offence, but the other seemed determined to pro- 
secute with the utmost vigour of the lex talionis* 
and to have blood for blood. — The compensation 
is sometimes made with money, but even in that 
case it is soon found that the feud is not quelled. — 
The Nubians of our crew are far too merciful 
when they should not be so : as soon as the sun has 
sufficiently warmed the atmosphere, every man 
takes off his shirt and commences a search after 
certain little animals that abound greatly in this 
country, and in which he is consequently very 
successful. When he catches any of the vermin, as 
he is forbidden to put them to death, he throws 
them into the river or gives them to the winds, and 
therefore often to his neighbour, so that the hunt 
is renewed day after day with equal success. We 
once saw a snake in our path, one of the men threw a 
stone at it, which nearly severed the head from the 
body, I desired him to put the poor animal out of 
its misery, which he refused, alleging that it would 
be wicked to deprive it of life. The natives of 
Egypt are particularly merciful to all animals, as if 
it were a continuation of the ancient custom of the 
country, and it might almost be looked upon as a 
species of worship. It certainly is not so ridiculous 
as to see people of consequence in Rome go on 
St. Anthony's day in their coaches and six to 
have their horses blessed! — The sprinkling holy 
water over these and other animals fills up three 

7 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



165 



days in the year to please St. Anthony and the 
pigs. 

The Nubian is so uncourteous that he will scarcely 
return the salutation of a Franc, or when he does 
grumble out " Alekum Salamm," he adds also 
" now be off with you, don't look at our women/ 9 
If he happens to deviate from this sulkiness it is be- 
cause he has experienced the liberality of travellers 
and then he runs up with all the interest of a Je suis 
charme, exclaiming, Salam alekum howbahbe, how* 
bahbe, tyebbint, tyeb, tyeb, tyeb, wallah tyeb, — ■ 
becksheesh ma feesh ? " Health to you, welcome, 
welcome, are you well, very well, exceedingly well, 
well by G — Is there no becksheesh for me ?" I 
never could ascertain upon what plea they de- 
mand money, unless it is, that I having come upon 
their land, am therefore liable to an action for 
trespass. In passing a village we observed several 
women in line, carrying each a platter. Upon in- 
quiry we learnt that news had just arrived of the 
death of a man belonging to the place, and these 
people were going to assist at the ululu ; as it is 
the custom at a wake to eat as well as administer 
consolation, and the widow in this case happened 
to be too poor to treat her friends, every one who 
went to weep carried a plate of provisions to the 
pic nic. We met a party returning from a wed- 
ding, the bride and bridegroom were brother 
and sister. The Nubians who, inasmuch as they 



166 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



are not restrained by civil liberty, are not far 
removed from brute nature, are still not so much 
the children of Adam, but that they reprobated 
this incestuous alliance. Our crew were toler- 
ably well behaved, and would sometimes amuse us 
with gymnastic exercises, or with a naumachia ; 
a party would leap into the river, each man would 
fix upon his adversary, swim towards him till he 
came within legs length, and then turning sharp 
round, and throwing his head under water and his 
foot into the air, would endeavour to effect a blow 
with his heel. 

Among the most remarkable animals of Nubia 
are the locusts, that eat up every thing, and the 
scarabee or beetle that seems to live where there 
never was any thing to eat. I have seen the latter 
crawling over a plain of sand, at a long journey 
either from the river or vegetation. These extra- 
ordinary offspring of the sun might almost have 
been worshipped by the Egyptians on that account 
alone. At Amala (Hesaiah) were some curious 
birds, of which I shot one, and the cries that its 
widowed mate poured forth were truly piteous, 
even more so than those of a wounded hare ; and 
notwithstanding my desire of bringing home three 
copies of every bird, I limited my number in this 
case to two. We found many partridges, doves, 
and sparrows with pink plumage — the rocks are of 
the same colour, and this is meant for a defence given 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. i 67 

to them by providence. The partridges run about 
close to the houses, and are very unwilling to get 
on wing, they seem not to know that they are 
most excellent eating. The land of Nubia is never 
blessed with dew, and rain is almost unknown. As 
irrigation is therefore needed, the creaking pot- 
mill or Persian wheel is kept in constant use, and 
never ceases even at night, except when we moor 
near to one, and then the frightened owner drives 
away his cow, and leaves us to a night's rest. The 
locusts often make great destruction among the 
verdure, and in one place we found that a quan- 
tity of these animals had taken possession of every 
thing green, the husbandman was smoking them 
out of the trees, and eating them in self defence, 
no more taste than an insipid waxy potato. The 
locust is a grasshopper about three inches in length, 
and having wings, it is larger than the golden 
wren, a stranger, especially if expecting humming 
birds, might easily mistake them. The morn- 
ings and evenings are so cold, that at one time all 
our crew were on the sick list, and it invariably re- 
quires considerable exertion to persuade them to 
leave their morning fire. Stone breakwaters are 
thrown into the river to protect the soil ; and not- 
withstanding these, the cultivation is so limited 
that not a morsel of bread is to be sold in Nubia ; 
and yet Nubia is, in the opinion of Nubians, 
the land of roses. Goldsmith has well expressed 

7 



168 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



the feeling of every man towards bis home ; and 
that country must be really beautiful which is to 
be preferred to one's own. 

Among the amusements are rope-dancers and 
story-tellers : of the former I saw a strolling com- 
pany at Dehr, and of the latter there is one at every 
village ; he is the oracle of the conversazione, and 
goes about like a circulating library. Frequently 
when we moored for the evening, one of these en- 
tertainers used to come on board to amuse the crew. 
The most popular subject is a history of the adven- 
tures and miracles of Mohammed — it is by no means 
uncommon to see a crowd collected round one of 
these historians in the open spaces in Cairo and 
other towns, like round a ballad-singer in London 
— this custom holds in Naples also, and to its pre- 
valence in Ireland and Scotland we are probably 
indebted for Ossian's poems. Whenever the sail- 
ors were called upon to use their oars, the reiss 
was obliged to give out a song, which he did, line 
by line, and the crew joined in chorus, con amore. 
All animals are inspired by music, and even these 
discordant attempts have their effect, though they 
are sad variations from the evening song on board 
a Sicilian sparonaro. The newest and favourite 
words in present use relate to a female of the name 
of Gemella, who complained to the justice that her 
husband had forsaken her, but being unable to ob- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



169 



tain redress, she ran away with a soldier, singing 
at the same time, 

We were married, you have broken the contract, 

Justice, Gemella ! sweet Gemella ! 
You have taken another, what have you found more than me, 

Justice, Gemella ! sweet Gemella ! 
I placed silk for you, what has the other placed, 

Justice, Gemella, &c. 
I love you, but you do not love me, 

Justice, Gemella, &c. 
If you look in my eyes you will see that I love you, 
I ask my heart why you have left me, 
In the clear fountain I have seen my beloved, 
My eyes are black, and my eyebrows are like the caroobole, 
I drink only brandy I do not drink wine, 
But if I do drink wine, what is that to any one, 

Justice, Gemella! sweet Gemella! 

They sometimes sing to the air of " Marlbrook,"* 
and " Life let us cherish," which though they sel- 
dom fail, are not so undeniable an appeal to my 
generosity as " God save the King." Surely the 
man, imprisoned as it were, in a strange land, like 
the unfortunate Richard, must either have no 
music in his soul, or no becksheesh in his pocket, 
who could listen unmoved to an air that reminds 
him of his childhood and of home. 



* These airs are the legacy of the French. 



170 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



CHAPTER XVL 

DESCEND TO PHILGE GRANITE QUARRIES— DERAHVY 

SLAVES TAKROURI ARRIVAL AT ESNEH DEPAR- 
TURE FOR THE OASIS. 

We stopped two days at Philce in our descent, in 
spite of the three old women ; and there being no- 
thing in the cataracts that required a second visit, 
I went by land to Essouan ; the distance is about 
six miles, and for the greater part of it the remnant 
of a wall is visible : this is thought to be an aque- 
duct, and it might seem extraordinary to have one 
so near the river, but the neighbouring rocky banks 
render the difficulties of obtaining water almost in- 
surmountable. There is still a tub by the way side 
for the accommodation of the traveller, and this is 
guarded and paid for. In our route we visited the 
granite quarries, whence were cut the obelisks of 
Egypt : there is one on the spot, prostrate, un- 
finished, and broken ; and even in this state it de- 
mands more attention than many that are erect. 
As soon as we arrived at Essouan, our crew resolved 
to leave us ; they had performed their engagement 
of passing the cataracts, but were determined not 
to return to Cairo on account of the plague : in 
this there is a prudent difference between the Nu- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



171 



hian, and the Turk and Arab. After some demur 
we agreed to give them their liberty at Esneh, or 
as soon as we should be able to press others into 
our service. 

At Derahvy we were informed that a caravan 
had just arrived, with gum, ostrich feathers, and 
slaves ; the latter are registered at this place as soon 
as they are brought into Egypt, and a poll-tax is 
paid to the Pasha; it is one of the largest and 
cheapest human Smithflelds in the kingdom. The 
price of a slave varies from seven to twenty -five 
pounds ; they are allowed to bask during the day 
in a walled court-yard, and at night they are distri- 
buted among the cottages like a subscription pack 
of hounds. The whipper-in carried a caravash or 
thong, made of the rhinoceros's hide, an instrument 
too cruel to beat even a donkey with, and swishing 
this about in a masterly manner, he accompanied 
me to the kennel : here we found a squattee of 
young ladies seated in circle ; in the centre was a 
broken bowl, and into this they were all dipping 
their fingers, with as much greediness as if it was 
hasty-pudding. My nose soon informed me that it 
was grease ; and the merchant tells me that it is 
the luxury of women, and consolation even to a 
slave ; with this they besmear themselves from head 
to toe, and glisten in the sun like a newly-varnished 
picture ; they were so pleased with the fat, that 
they paid but little attention to the dealer as he 
pointed out the peculiar beauties of each. Some 



172 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



were tattoed like the aboriginal Britons, and some 
had their faces cut like crimped skate ; she is con- 
sidered most ornamented who uses most grease ; 
and she that does not smell offensively is looked 
upon as a sloven. There was one of the party who, 
though she took her share of this finery and play- 
thing of a savage, seemed but little pleased with it : 
she was pretty, sorrowful, and interesting — her 
price seventeen guineas. With the hope of finding 
an opportunity to send her to her home, I paid the 
money, and gave the maiden her liberty. The bar- 
gain was no sooner agreed to, than the vender 
shook his caravash over her head, and commanded 
her to conduct herself in such a manner that she 
should not be returned upon the market as un- 
sound ; the girl came forward, kissed my hand, 
and, without saying a word to any one, she ran to 
hide herself in the boat. There was something 
perfectly unaccountable in her silence : she went 
away without speaking to those who spoke her own 
language*, and were natives of her own country ; 
and without even bidding farewell to any of those 
companions in misery that had been her associates 
in the most tedious journey that is known of in 
the vale of tears, those whom she left still in chains, 
and whom she might never behold again ! 

The merchant warrants that a slave shall not 
snore, nor be guilty of many other desagremens 
of nature ; but nothing so ridiculous as that by the 
* They do not speak the common Arabic. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. t^S 

old Welsh laws, a divorce might be obtained for an 
offensive breath, and that in the land of leeks. 

On joining the boat, my first object was to inform 
the girl, that she was no longer a slave ; she burst 
into tears ; and when I told her that I would send 
her back to her own country, she redoubled her sor- 
row. All the sufferings that she had undergone in 
traversing the desert presented themselves before 
her, and she told me that she had rather die than 
go back, and " if you give me what you call li- 
berty, you will throw me adrift upon the world, 
and who will take care of me ; there will be no- 
body obliged to support me, and what shall I do?" 
Here she renewed her lamentations so earnestly, that 
I promised her she should remain a slave. 

The fact is that the slave is much better off than the 
Arab fellah ; the latter is governed by a despot, the 
former is under the care of a master who remem- 
bers how much he paid for him, and that he may sell 
him again, he therefore treats him (I mean no con- 
tempt by the comparison) as well as a favorite dog 
or horse. 

Liberty is of no use to a female in particular, un- 
less married ; and generally after a few years' ser- 
vitude, a husband and portion are given to the well 
conducted ; the female slave seldom deserts her 
master, though dying under the most dangerous and 
most infectious of all diseases, the plague : they are 
weaned from a wish of returning across the desert, 



174 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



by the constant danger and privations that they 
have endured in coming ; they have seen their com- 
panions fall a prey to heat, thirst, and ill-usage, 
and they have at the same time been deterred from 
quitting the caravan, by stories of cannibals. 

Natural children in Darfour, instead of being 
sent to a foundling hospital, become the property of 
the king ; tythes and taxes are partly paid in flesh, 
and the revenue is in some measure derived like a 
horse-breeder's income. The scars and tattooing I 
imagine to be often done by parents, who might pos- 
sibly conceive the idea of again beholding and re- 
cognising their children - 7 a rencontre of this kind 
lately took place in Cairo, and it happened that the 
son had money sufficient to buy his mother accord- 
ing to valuation, but the master refused to sell the 
woman, and the parties appealed to the judge, who 
gave it in favor of the mother and son. I never 
saw but three instances of real slavery. We met 
a very fine young man sauntering along the desert, 
and soon after saw two fellows armed with spears 
tracking him as they would vermin ; at another 
time, we passed a number of slaves being driven 
like cattle to a merchant's house for inspection; 
and the third case was the bargaining for an athle- 
tic man as a water-carrier, like a camel. A slave 
may be bought and sold fifty times over, but he 
will only serve whom he pleases ; and when once 
he refuses his work, he is immediately sent to the 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 1^5 

market, like a restive horse to Tattersall's. In my 
visits to the okeil I was generally hooted and driven 
out by a set of people as happy and impudent as 
beggars in prison. 

One evening after sun-set, being at a little dis- 
tance from my boat, I saw five human beings hud- 
dled together in a hole, apparently for concealment. 
Approaching towards them, I found that they were 
Takrouri or pilgrims from the interior of Africa. 
They had nestled together to keep themsel ves warm, 
and being without food, that they might sleep, 
judging by the example of hungry dogs, that sleep 
is as good as its synonyme in Gaelic, " half my 
meat." These poor wretches, according to the 
best of their calculation, had already been six 
months on the road towards Mecca. The town 
from which they came is called Condjairah, and in 
their route they had passed by Sennaar Darfour 
and Dongola. They had descended by the (river) 
Bahr el Lis to the Nile, and were following the 
stream to Cairo; their language is Arabic, they 
can all write, and benefitting by their national 
schools, the poorest Takrouri is more accomplished 
than a rich Turk; they are the gypsies among 
Egyptians, and subsist by dealing in charms. One 
of these charms written for me, consists in an enu- 
meration of names, and in return for which, I gave 
them fuel, biscuits, and sixpence each ; the poor 
wretches were in ecstacies and rendered thanks to 



176 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



the prophet— not to me — because I was only a 
Christian and an instrument in the hand of Mo- 
hammed. There are a great many Takrouri, 
who lose a considerable part of their lives in going 
pilgrimages. They are protected by their poverty ; 
they obtain a livelihood by writing charms, and re- 
ligion carries them through fatigue. 

The common people hold no reckoning of years; 
and a man, when asked his age, generally dates it 
from the epoch of the French being in Egypt ; "I 
was so big when the French were here ; or I was 
not born." They measure time by the foot, a very 
easy and simple method, when once it has been 
ascertained what proportion in length the foot bears 
to the shadow at mid-day. A watch is looked upon 
as a very great curiosity. The art of clockmaking 
was introduced into Spain by the Moors. 

We were no sooner arrived at Esneh, than I de- 
termined upon an excursion to the Oasis, and be- 
ing in want of some paras, was happy to find a 
banker, — he is particularly civil, and immediately 
offered to become responsible for the whole bazaar 
if I chose to take it ; and as to money, he would 
be glad to let me have as much as I pleased, if he 
had any, but at present he can only supply me 
with the currency of idiots, promises of to-morrow 
- — to-morrow does come, and the promises are re- 
peated. I was detained here five days in this man- 
ner, during which he invited me to supper, and 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC* i?7 

my dragoman was also asked ; we were ushered 
into a small room, which was made to answer all 
the purposes of a house, it was bed-room, dining- 
room, drawing-room, and larder. Pipes were served 
up first, and presently came a slave with a basin 
and caraft of water, and a towel thrown over his 
shoulder. When we had all washed our hands, a 
stool was placed in the middle, and on this a tray 
with as many spoons and breads as there were 
guests. We took our places round it on the floor, 
and a bowl of soup was brought in ; it was no soon- 
er put down than the spoons came into play, and 
in such rapid succession, that the soup was finished 
in a few seconds. Although every body eat from 
the bowl, there was yet that kind of decency ob- 
served, that there never was a spoon out of turn, 
nor a second one in use at the same time with an- 
other, except that of my neighbour. The second 
course was a quarter of lamb, and any body pre- 
sent would soon perceive the inutility of knives 
and forks ; mine host and my neighbour immedi- 
ately seized it in opposite directions, and after 
pulling hard for the prize, a glorious trophy re- 
mained in the hands of each ; these again by 
strength and dexterity of finger, were carved in 
such a manner that not two bones remained toge- 
ther, and the second course was likewise finished 
* with the same greedy diligence as the first ; and in 
like manner of several others. The basin and 

N 



178 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



water were again handed round, and our pipes re- 
lighted. Mine host whispered to me dolefully that 
the roisting rutterkin was a common soldier who 
had come with an order for his pay, but there 
being no money in the treasury, he had forcibly 
billetted himself upon the firm. On taking leave 
I was followed to the boat by the servant for beck- 
sheesh : obsolete as the system of vales is become 
in England, and general as it is here, it is in no 
place carried to such extent as in Italy. I have 
known in Rome a servant go for a regalo to a 
house because his master had conferred an honour 
by going there to supper. 

During my detainure at Esneh, I dined with the 
governor one morning at half-past eleven ; the din- 
ner was on the same plan, but proportionally bet- 
ter than the banker's supper. I should be guilty 
of great injustice towards the governor were I not 
to mention his deviation from the Eastern practice 
of eructating during the meal, and his delicacy 
also in not asking for a present, — he only sent a 
servant to show me something that had been given 
to him by a Franc. 

At Esneh is a slave merchant, who is renowned 
for being as good as it is possible for a slave mer- 
chant to be. Hearing that he possessed a female 
valued so high as thirty pounds, I begged permis- 
sion to look at her, this he positively refused, and 
told me candidly, that he, as a Mohammedan, was 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC* 179 

one of the lords of the creation, and that I, as a 
Christian, was but a slave myself, and on that ac- 
count he could not show me his stock ; but that if 
I would pretend to be a Turk, by putting on the 
dress, he would let me see her by accident. He 
" accordingly led me to the basking place, and hid- 
ing himself behind a pillar, pointed her out to me. 
I confess that I saw nothing worth thirty pounds, 
or any thing superior to the generality of slaves, 
unless she was sold by weight, and this was so far 
the case that she was valued by her fat. This man 
imports his own slaves, and frequently goes to 
Dongola ; he offered to escort me there and back 
for ten dollars, and to ensure my life. The fact is, 
that there is no danger, at least, I believe not ; 
and if there were, an opportunity now presents it- 
self of accompanying the army. The Pasha in- 
formed me of his intention to send into the far 
countries, and the soldiers of the expedition are 
daily arriving ; however I shall not go, for I am 
very incredulous as to Meroe. I have no inten- 
tion of writing a book, and as to pleasure I have 
had quite enough of it ; that is, I had once intend- 
ed to follow the example of my Nubians, and not 
to descend to Cairo till the season of infection 
should be terminated ; but now that I have staid 
five days in Esneh, I would rather pass through 
the city of the plague, than reign in this horrible 
place. 

N % 

- 



180 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



The Almah come frequently on board my boat, 
and seeing that the ornaments of their heads con- 
sist in pieces of money, I have desired the bank- 
rupt to borrow them, which he engages to do 
against my return from the Oasis, in the mean 
time he has made every necessary arrangement for 
the camels, and given me a little pocket money. 
As my intended route has not been travelled for 
many years, except lately by three Englishmen, it 
is judged more adviseable that I should change my 
Franc dress for a Turkish. The former is certainly 
more respected where it is known, but the latter 
excites less observation, I therefore submit quietly 
to the barber, my head is shaved, excepting that 
the lock of hair, by which the Mussulman is to be 
drawn up into heaven, is duly left in the centre, 
and having already given my razors a long vaca- 
tion, I show a respectable Hebrew beard, 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 181 



CHAPTER XVIL 

THE OASIS BffiRIS. 

25th Feb. — The banker has provided me with five 
camels, a certain stock of rice, biscuits, and coffee s 
and four goat-skins for water. The animal that is 
to carry me, is so obliging as to kneel down, with- 
out which complaisance, or a ladder, I should never 
be able to get upon his back ; but the moment he 
feels a foot over him, he springs up, and leaves me 
on the ground. The Arabs laugh, and tell me that 
this is the usual commencement. 

Our route lies alongside the river as far as Djibel- 
ein, twelve miles N. of Esneh, and at this place 
we suffer our first stoppage. We were detained 
here four hours, for no visible reason, till supper 
came : this consisted of bread, soup, rice, roast 
chickens, and vegetables, all mixed together in a 
large wooden bowl. I offered becksheesh to my 
host, but he declared, that it would be shameful to 
receive pay ; at the same moment my hand opened, 
and the sum of three shillings became visible, — this 
was irresistible, and my friend accepted the money 
in opposition to his conscience — it is the value of a 
sheep. 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



At length the water-skins are filled, I am safely 
mounted, and we make a second start. Our route 
W. across a flat sandy plain, on which, at the end 
of three hours' march, we halted for the night. 
Here the Arabs performed vespers, and there being 
no water to spare for their ablutions, they went 
through that part of the ceremony with sand # . 
The sand is very soft, the sky bright, and I slept 
very comfortably sub Dio. 

26th Feb.— Within three hours after midnight, 
we had resumed our journey, and continuing our 
route W. ascend the Libyan chain, at about 24 
miles' distance from the river. At mid -day we halted 
for an hour, and, in the course of the afternoon, 
came to a quantity of broken pottery, such as ge- 
nerally indicates an ancient site ; it is distant about 
fifteen hours from the Nile, and I should imagine 
it to have been a " station." At seven o'clock we 
finished our day's work : the camels having per- 
formed double march without having tasted water, 
and having nothing to eat but dry chopped straw, 
with a little barley in it. The motion of a camel 
is very disagreeable : he goes whizzing through the 
air, though he does not advance three miles per 
hour ; at every step he throws his rider backwards 
and forwards, and causes nearly the same sensations 
as a rocking boat. 

27th Feb. — No variation from yesterday. I am 
* So it is commanded by the law. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



183 



already land sick, and have made a calculation, that 
in each journey of fifteen hours I have been bumped 
like a school-boy fifty-eight thousand times. 

28th Feb. — Nothing is so tedious as the first day's 
camel riding, except a continuation of it ; and 
nothing so wearying as a camel's walking pace, ex- 
cept a camel's trot. During the fifty-two hours 
that I was on the back of the sulky animal, I 
had been unwittingly endeavouring to make him 
mend his pace ; but, equally indifferent to threats or 
caresses, he refused to go beyond a walk; at length 
he set off voluntarily in a trot, and, in spite of my 
utmost exertions to restrain him, he brought me to 
a spring, and here he has deposited me, almost 
shaken to pieces, like an over-boiled fowl. We 
have performed, in three days, a journey that usu- 
ally employs a week ; and, during this, the camels 
have not tasted water — a draught in three days is 
quite sufficient for a camel — my guide says, in three 
weeks or even three months, provided he can get 
green food. By the way side we found many 
skeletons of camels, the animal on which I rode 
became exceedingly offensive as to his breath, 
and when he came within three or four hours of 
water, I found it impossible to retard him. 

The track from Esneh to the Oasis Bceris, is 
marked with piles of stones ; but the bones of ani- 
mals, and the setting-sun, form as sure a guide. 
There is one spot in particular abounding in bones, 



184 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



and amongst them old Hassan pointed out those of 
a camel that he had often accompanied through the 
desert ; and near them the grave of its master — the 
camel had died of thirst, and its owner had killed 
himself by its side. Such anecdotes are not very 
uncommon. A camel, or a horse, is generally 
the life, or the means of living, to a man and his 
family. 

We descended the Libyan chain early this morn- 
ing, and at sunset dismounted at the first verdure 
of the Oasis. Bceris is the name of this " island 
of the desert and consists of a few springs rising 
at various distances, in an extent of many miles, 
and each of which enables a few outcasts of the 
world to cultivate a little corn and dates. As to 
antiquities, here is a small temple, paltry, and un- 
finished ; and to see this I have endured fifty hours 
bumping (besides returning) and been in a perpe- 
tual state of fusion ; the water in the goat-skins 
has been churned rancid, the mirage has been 
doubly tantalizing, and all the springs of the Oasis 
taste of the nether world. 

The fountain by which we repose is warm and suL 
phurish but irrigates half an acre of land. There is 
a house upon the estate, but it is deserted, in con- 
sequence of a ruffian having carried off the owner's 
daughter; a sentinel attends every evening to pre- 
serve the crop from the gazelles \ and the man now 
on duty informs me that Siout is five days distant; 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 185 

that he was once there, but shall never go again, 
as the people are not human, for they had demand- 
ed payment for bread. 

29th. — As soon as it is light we descry a hill 
surmounted by cottages and palm trees, it is dis- 
tant about three hours. In our way thither two 
men with matchlocks came out to meet us, and 
finding that we did not come to collect taxes, or with 
other hostile intentions, they saluted us with a feu- 
de-joie, the report spreads through the village, and 
on approach we find all the inhabitants assembled 
on the tops of their houses. 

The heads of the females are ornamented with 
shells, in the same manner as those of the Egyp- 
tians are ornamented with money, and these shells 
are, I believe, similar to those that do pass for 
money. 

We desire to be conducted to the shekh, and 
alight at a house which is not so bad as any of the 
others ; part of the exterior is white-washed, and 
on this is scrawled in red paint a verse of the 
Koran. This is the coronet of a hadji — the lord 
of the village has suffered the martyrdom of a pil- 
grimage to Mecca, and considers himself amply re- 
warded by being called a saint, and being allowed 
(as is in general use throughout Switzerland) to 
write a religious sentence on his house. 

The shekh received us very hospitably, and 



186 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



spread a mat for us on a mud divan raised within 
the portal, or hall of strangers, but he could not 
allow us to step beyond the second threshold, as 
that part of the house was the sanctum sanctorum 
— it contained the saint's harem. The first sub- 
ject of conversation was taxes ; even Bceris, divid- 
ed from the world, has not escaped the care of the 
Pasha, the people are compelled to pay a yearly 
rent of some dollars ; and they requested me, be- 
ing an Engilitz, to have it mitigated. I was asked 
twenty times if I was an Englishman, and having 
sworn to it, a man brought a soldier's musket, and 
pointing to the number of the regiment, exclaim- 
ed, " Engilitz, Engilitz," seven or eight times, rais- 
ing his voice to a pitch of pride and self congratu- 
lation. 

A number of medals were brought to me, but 
none of any consequence : under pretence of ex- 
amining them I put on a pair of green spectacles, 
and was immediately supposed to be a conjuror — 
it was a foolish joke. I lost my spectacles. 

In the evening I was visited by the greater part 
of the village, and among the crowd came a man 
to whom all gave place. He had no sooner 
got pretty close to my ear, than he commenced 
making a great noise, at which every body except 
myself was highly delighted. The man, to my 
astonishment, was grunting out a song, and ex- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 187 



pecting becksheesh ; I gave him money immediate- 
ly, on condition that he would not sing any more. 
The company were surprised at my want of taste, 
but part consoled themselves by laughing at the 
enraged musician. 

On the following morning I requested a guide 
to conduct me to the temple : two were given 
me, when, seeing that I carried my fowling piece, 
they desired me to wait till they had put on their 
guns, which they showed to me were loaded with 
ball. 

We walked about ten miles S. E. across the 
sand, and here we came to a spring, a few huts, and 
a little verdure. Near this is the temple, it is al- 
most buried in sand, and yet its defects are not 
hidden — this fabric differs in many respects from 
the temples on the Nile. It is a small building, 
composed of petty blocks of stone, the pillars are 
only two feet six inches in diameter, and even 
these, instead of being formed of one solid block, 
are constructed of mill-stones. The sacred writing 
is scarcely begun, but the vanity of the founder has 
taken care to see that a long inscription, with his 
name in it, was completed. 

How can we expect a temple of consequence in 
the middle of a desert, where water is as scarce as it 
is necessary, where the population never could have 
been great, where great works never could have 
been atchieved, and never been required ? My in- 



188 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



credulity as to Meroe and Jupiter Amnion * gains 
strength. 

The surface of the earth in the vicinity of the 
temple is very remarkable, it is covered with a 
lamina of salt and sand mixed, and has the same 
appearance as if a ploughed field had been flooded 
over, then frozen, and the water drawn off from 
under the ice. 

Encamped near one of the springs is a caravan 
of Djelabi, or slave pedlars, who are in the habit of 
trafficking between Darfour and Cairo. The com- 
pany consists of about thirty men, and as many four- 
footed beasts, besides a few women, who are con- 
sidered fine specimens. They had been bought 
themselves in the first instance as slaves, but hav- 
ing gained the affections of their masters, they ac- 
company them in their journeys, and are used as 
decoys. 

From these slave pedlars I purchased a pair of 
sandals, the inconvenience of boots and shoes in 
travelling over sand is obvious — it always compelled 
me to go barefooted. These sole preservers are 
very ingeniously formed of one piece (excepting 
a thong not two inches in length), the leather is 

* With respect to the temple of Jupiter Amnion this opinion 
is confirmed, the Pasha wished to take the neighbouring people 
under his protection, and sent an army for that purpose, they 
did see some people whom they did not catch, and also the 
famous temple which never could have been worth seeing.. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 139 



cut to the shape of the foot, but so much larger as 
to allow straps to be pared at the side, and with 
these are contrived fastenings similar to those of a 
skate. I procured also some tamarind cakes, they 
might be called portable sherbet, they render even 
brackish water cool and agreeable. 

I should imagine the people of Bceris to have 
been till lately the poorest and the happiest in the 
world ; he that has no land shares equally the la- 
bour and the produce with him that has. All are 
content, except with taxes : taxes beget industry, 
industry begets money, and money begets evil ; 
luxury, pride, and envy will soon grow up amongst 
them ; the stamped leather of Charles would, not 
long since, have been sufficient for them, but now 
that they trade with foreign towns, they would ra- 
ther have a piece of dirty Turkish copper than a 
quartern loaf ; and their knives are always ready 
to take a slice # off a Spanish dollar. They have 
not as yet got so much money as to have no 
charity, when I called for my bill, and the shekh 
enumerated the chickens, dates, sheep, and brandy, 
he omitted bread, and when I reminded him that 
we had seven days' rations for seven people, he told 
me that it was " not the custom to receive money 
for supplying a traveller with the staff of life." 

* When they cannot give change they cut the piece into 
halves and quarters. 



190 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



I had used my utmost endeavours to purchase 
a head-dress of shells, but could not obtain either 
the object of my anxiety, nor the reason why ; at 
length, on the point of going away, when all the 
village were collected round me, I threw some half 
farthings amongst them for a scramble, this act of 
generosity had such an effect upon them, that a 
man told me he would gladly let me have his 
daughter's coiffure, but he knew that whenever I 
should look upon it in England, and should wish 
for his daughter, that she would immediately go 
flying through the air to me. 

Besides the temple above mentioned, my guides 
inform me, that there is a smaller one about two 
days south, and that the great Oasis Hardji is four 
days distant, but I have already determined to re- 
trace my steps rather than trust to evils that I 
know not of. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



191 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

DEPARTURE FROM THE OASIS — HO MINIEH — RETURN 

TO CAIRO. 

Previous to leaving the Oasis I took a few hours' 
ramble with my gun, and found a snipe, an owl, 
two Royston crows, and some partridges. 

From Bceris I retraced my steps to Djibelein, 
during which nothing particular occurred except 
the bumping, and nothing interesting or amusing 
except a feu d'artiflce of electricity, and a fight 
between two of the chamelliers. 

One night preparatory to repose I was about to 
spread a sheet of common white linen upon the 
sand, and shaking it rather violently for that pur- 
pose, observed that it threw forth a flash of fire, 
this I repeated several times, and formed such 
amusement as is to be found in the gardens of 
Tivoli, or in the heavens on a summer evening. 
The Arabs imagined it to be produced by the rays 
of the sun collected during the day. 

As we drew towards the end of our journey the 
two elder of the camel-drivers quarrelled ; from 
words they proceeded to blows, and were in the 



192 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



act of pulling beards when I desired my dragoman 
to horsewhip them both, and ascertain the cause 
of their dispute. It appeared that as we were on 
the point of separating, it was necessary that I 
should be presented with a supper, and the two 
Arabs in question were contending for the " honour" 
of furnishing the entertainment : now as I would 
not suspect them capable of fighting for the base 
lucre of three shillings, I desired that each of them 
should bring me supper sufficient for the whole 
party (six), this they did, and shared the " honour" 
between them. 

From Djibelein my dragoman went to Esneh for 
the money, and I was to rind my own way to the 
candgy, which had descended to Thebes, there 
was not a boat belonging to the place except that 
of the ferry, so I took that, and arrived at Thebes 
early on the following morning. Here I tarried 
a few days to ship my curiosities, among which 
were the Grecian mummy, and four others ; also 
the straw-stuffed skin of one of the celebrated 
electric fishes. The latter I had left in the care of 
a Frenchman, who informs me that the cat eat it ! 
The mummy case had been opened by the Arabs, 
they had taken out the body and put in one of a 
plebeian — with some difficulty I regained my own 
corpse, and bastonaded the knaves soundly — it 
was curious to see how kindly they took it. At 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



193 



length I quitted Thebes, with my boat like 
Charon's. 

Nearly opposite Goos I called upon a crocodile 
cacciatore : he had not had much sport of late, and 
had only two skins in his possession. The shortest, 
eight feet long, this I bought and put it with the 
coffins. The flesh of the crocodile is eaten, but the 
principal object of the sportsman is the musk. 

At Ho we found a considerable number of crabs 
running among the stones at the river's edge ; they 
furnished us with a luxurious supper. The turtle 
of the Nile, especially as it wants London cookery, 
is but a poor kind of thing. 

At Rhadamone I paused a while to enjoy the 
hospitality of Mr. Brine, and in his garden was wit- 
ness to the fact of impregnating the date tree. An 
Arab ascended, carrying with him some of the 
seed of the male palm, which he inserted among 
the flowers of the female. It is agreed by every 
one, that without this process no fruit would be 
produced ; — but if the husbandman did not carry 
the seed, — the winds of heaven would. 

It was dark when I arrived at Minieh, and, 
consequently, too late to pay a visit of ceremony 
to the governor; for a Turk is accustomed to 
take his supper at sun-set, after which he retires to 
the apartments of the women, and from that time 
till morning neither " linquenda uxor neque ha- 
rum." As I was unable to wait till the following 

o 



19 1 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA* 

day, and unwilling to pass by a man who is anxi- 
ous to be visited, and who is highly spoken of by 
all travellers, I sent my dragoman with an apology 
for not calling. In the course of a few minutes a 
janissary came on board, saluting me in the name 
of the governor, and expressing his sorrow that, 
on account of its being so late, all the bazaars 
were closed, so that he could only beg my accept- 
ance of six sheep, with pigeons, chickens, and 
a basket of vegetables, but would be happy to see 
me at supper. Knowing that he had already made 
his evening meal, I returned for answer that I 
would have the pleasure of smoking a pipe with 
him. I almost wished to send back his present, for 
Mr. Brine, at Rhadamone, had supplied me with 
provisions sufficient for the remainder of my jour- 
ney, and this new flock of sheep were tumbling 
about among the coffins, and the chickens and 
pigeons were taking possession of my bed. Six torch- 
bearers now conducted me through a large court- 
yard to the mansion, the stairs of which were lined 
on either side with janissaries ; they were magni- 
ficently dressed, and that splendor increased by 
torch-light. At the top stood the governor; he 
commenced the conversation by informing me that 
his artillery men were not in the way, or he would 
have ordered a salute to an Englishman. He then 
led me to the divan, and desired my dragoman 
also to sit down. Dragomen are ex-officio people 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



of consequence, but mine was professionally a pri- 
vate soldier, so that when he did avail himself of 
the governor's permission, he sat down upon the 
floor, not cross-legged, as if in companionship, but 
observing due respect, by kneeling as it were, and 
sitting upon his heels. Pipes and coffee were 
brought in, followed by punch ; for punch is the 
epithet applied by the governor to an Englishman, 
as rosbif is by a Frenchman : our discourse dwelt 
principally on politics ; and Abdin (the name 
of the governor) is the Burleigh of Egypt. On 
taking leave I found a horse ready to convey 
me to the boat, though not more than fifty yards 
distant. While I was proceeding to the eastern 
custom of giving vails to the servants, they in- 
formed me that if any one of them should dare to 
accept a present he would be discharged from the 
mouth of a cannon. As English fire-arms are an 
offering most acceptable to a Turk, I sent a brace 
of double-barrelled pistols to the governor ; he re- 
turned them immediately, in conformity to his 
practice, for he did not ask strangers into his house 
to rob them. 

It is generally imagined, that to refuse an offer- 
ing is a declaration of hostility ; but I have been 
told by many an inhabitant of Egypt, with as- 
tonishment, and always with respect, that " Colo- 
nel Missett, the English consul, never accepted 
any thing." 

o 2 



196 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



At length I am about to bid adieu to the Nile, 
the least romantic, but most useful of rivers ; the 
waters of which are the dirtiest but most beneficial 
in the world; on whose banks there is scarcely 
one spot that would attract the attention of an 
artist, nor an object of antiquity comparable to 
the Parthenon and Colisceum. I confess that na- 
ture has more charms for me than the chef d'ouvre 
of art; that I have found more pleasure in the 
vale of Chamouni than in the tribune at Florence ; 
and less satisfaction in the Vatican than on the top 
of ^Etna. In the monuments of antiquity I have 
endeavoured to read the character of the ancient 
Egyptians, and whatever pleasure I have found on 
the Nile was derived from the study of mankind. 
I was pleased in making the voyage, but am happy 
to have finished it. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



197 



CHAPTER XIX. 



ARRIVAL AT CAIRO PYRAMID OF CHEPHRENES. 



Arrived in the neighbourhood of Cairo. I was sur- 
rounded by camels, but I called for some Christian 
conveyance, and an ass was immediately brought. 
This animal is not a sign of humility a whit 
more in Cairo than it is at Margate ; nor is a 
colonel of cavalry, whose pride is his sabre and 
moustaches, at all ashamed of riding about on an 
ass ; it is an event of every half hour to see a 
person of consequence seated on a Jerusalem pony, 
preceded by a slave carrying a gun in a case, and 
followed by another with a pipe. Christians were 
forbidden, till lately, to ride on horseback in 
many of the towns of Turkey : and it is the more 
remarkable that this law at present exists only in 
that very town which afforded the principal asy- 
lum to the early Christians. We shall hardly have 
right to make this a subject of complaint against 
the Turks, when we remember that in England, 
and lately, and even among the followers of the 
same church, that the same law was virtually in 
existence, inasmuch as a Catholic might not ride a 
horse that he would refuse to sell for five pounds. 
In Damascus only the unregenerated spirit of Paul 



198 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



still exists ; and it is by no means uncommon for a 
zealous Mohammedan, with all the acrimony of a 
Pope against the unfaithful, to wield a sword in 
the mosq'ie, and preach up the extirpation of in- 
fidels (Jours). 

In passing through Cairo I was ducked with the 
remnants of lamps, oil and burnt wick. In this 
state I went to the consul to make a complaint ; 
redress he informs me is impossible : I believed 
that it was done on purpose, and so does he, for 
he had met with the same himself. 

One day, sitting in my room, I fancied that it 
was raining, and having been for some months 
freed from such a blessing, I ascended on the roof 
of the house to discover if there was enough for a 
conscientious man to swear to. I had scarcely 
ascertained that it was just admissible, when I was 
alarmed by some discordant noises arising from the 
street: it was music, the accompaniment of a 
wedding, and was fully as typical of future har- 
mony as marrow-bones and cleavers ; but at the 
same time equally admired by the Cairines as the 
bagpipes are by the Scotch. The bride wore a red 
veil, and in a dress hired for the occasion, was 
decked out as gaily as a girl about to become a 
nun - y she was followed by a crowd of friends, and 
led by a nurse to where' the bridegroom was in 
waiting. 

The red veil in some parts of the East is, as 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. VJ ( J 

the rose amongst us is or ought to be, peculiar to 
a maiden — the veil is seldom belied, although 
there is an expression in Arabic to the contrary * : 
there is no Lucretia among the women ; but every 
man is a Virginius, even when in opposition to the 
established law of Rome and reason. The wages of 
sin is death ; and a thousand instances might be 
brought forward in which the principle has been 
held " peccareest nefas, pretium estmori." I have 
already observed that the greatest compliment that 
can be paid to a woman, is to address her, " O you 
veiled one and for this reason, that the unfortu- 
nate part of the sex, for there is a particular race of 
people allowed to be so, do not wear veils. Euro- 
pean women in visiting this country, whether from 
pride or custom, will not do as modest people do y 
and it was probably owing to this circumstance, 
that a very beautiful young woman, the daughter 
of a consul, was lately killed. She was unveiled, 
and at the moment alone. A soldier spoke to her in 
such a manner as he had been accustomed to speak 
to unveiled women ; she, naturally angry, returned 
an irritating answer, and the man drew a pistol 
from his belt and shot her. It is curious that, with 
regard to marriage, polygamy is allowed, and yet, 
in opposition to that system, all women are com- 
pelled to hide their faces. Vice sometimes assumes 



* Claudere portam. 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



the garb of virtue ; and the Turkish veil answers 
the purpose of the Italian zendado. A woman may 
pass her husband without being recognised, and a 
man in the mask of a woman may find admission 
into a harem. In the case of discovery there is no 
compensation by pecuniary damages ; there is no 
alternative but death to one of the parties. A 
man will not allow even his own brother to enter 
his harem, because that a man's relicts become the 
property of his brother (v. New Testament). The 
bath is sometimes used as a place of intrigue, and 
it is in consequence of such customs at Berne and 
other places that a bad interpretation is given to 
the word bagnio. At Louesche I have seen men 
and women parboiled together innocently enough, 
and I know not of any particular scandal against 
the Bath in Somersetshire. 

The Levantine dress, were it not a restraint upon 
activity, would be preferable to ours. The Turk, 
even without having seen the opera dancers, says 
that all Francs are naked. His own small clothes 
are about eight feet in circumference at the waist, 
and the same at the ancle. Between the boun- 
daries of Turkey and those of Scotland, we find 
various gradations of indispensables. — Cossacks, 
Greek, Spanish, brogues, gallygaskins, pantaloons, 
knee-breeches, and the seamless inexpressibles of 
a Highlander. The Turk wears what we consider 
to be the woman's dress. And he greets his wife 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 201 

with angry speeches, if she be seen without her 
breeches. 

The turban is much more becoming, and much 
more cleanly, than a hat. According to the Turk- 
ish law a peculiar colour is appropriated to the 
Christian, the Mohammedan, and the Jew, and 
by some other peculiarity is denoted the trade of 
the wearer, as we recognise a quaker or a coal- 
heaver. These distinguishing features are not al- 
ways apparent, but the colour green is worn only 
by the descendants of the prophet. A hadji just 
returned from Mecca informed me that he saw a 
man impaled for presuming to wear a green tur- 
ban without being able to prove his title to it. 
This honour, notwithstanding Dr. Johnson's idea of 
" Turkish contempt of women" descends by the 
female line, for the Prophet, like the Duke of 
Marlborough, had daughters, but no son ; the 
females in this case become ladies in their own 
right, and convey a title to their children, though 
not to their husbands. Blue is the colour ap- 
pointed for the turban of a Christian, white is the 
privilege of a Turk. It happened lately that some 
Christians who had trespassed upon the law, made 
obeisance to the Cahir Bey en passant ; the Bey 
returned the salutation ; but discovering that he 
had saluted Christians, and had therefore com- 
mitted an error, he issued a proclamation, " that 
every Christian presuming to wear the white tur- 



'202 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

ban should be put to death," or as the words ex- 
pressed it, his head should be put between his 
legs. 

During my excursion up the river, a Franc was 
put to death in Cairo, concerning which I shall 
relate the story in the same words in which I 
heard it. 

" Zanski and myself were shooting on the banks 
of the river, and he had just fired at a bird, when an 
Arab starting forth from under a bank, declared that 
some of the shot had struck him, and he insisted 
upon a compensation in money. Zanski convinced 
that the shot had passed in another direction, re- 
fused to comply. A crowd soon collected, and w T e 
were carried before the governor of a neighbouring 
village ; the Arab persisted in his complaint, and 
Zanski was obstinate in his refusal. At length the 
governor struck him ; — Zanski retreated a step and 
shot him dead. We were immediately surrounded 
by the natives; Zanski was tied upon a donkey; and 
I was marched by his side. During the whole way 
to Cairo, we were beaten by the mob, our clothes 
were torn to rags, and those who could not get 
within arms length pelted us. The wife of the 
governor was most vehement both in words and 
acts, and lacerated Zanski's face in a frightful man- 
ner. In this state we were taken before the Cady 
(judge). The case was soon heard ; I was libera- 
ted and Zanski was sent to the castle. I waited htih 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 203 

mediately upon his consul, who sent a janissary to 
demand that the prisoner should be delivered up to 
him. In answer to this he was desired to call at the 
castle at eight o'clock on the following morning. 
We went at the time appointed, but the mob had 
already torn forth my friend from prison, had tied 
his arms behind him, and compelled him to kneel 
down upon the spot: the executioner with a sword 
in the right hand stood over him, and with a dagger 
in the left he stabbed him in the side, so that as 
the head inclined towards him, the blow of the 
sword might fall with more effect. We found the 
body on the spot where it had fallen, but the head 
was kicked to a considerable distance ; — they 
brought it and placed it between the legs. 

" Zanski's life might have been saved by pecuniary 
compensation to the widow, and by the defence 
that was put into his mouth ; for even the judge said, 
' Surely it was an accident, and the gun went off 
unintentionally. ■ But Zanski replied, ' No, he struck 
me ; and were the same circumstances to recur, I 
would shoot him again.' — The judge applauded, 
pitied, and condemned." 

According to existing regulations, every culprit 
ought to be delivered into the custody of his own 
proper consul. In desperate cases he is always dis- 
owned; in minor ones he is seldom claimed; and in 
Bone can the consul, except the English, enforce 



204 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

it. Most of the consuls are merchants, pecuni- 
arily indebted to the Pasha. 

With respect to law in Turkey, there is no "glo- 
rious uncertainty." The richest wins the day ; and 
when gold is thrown into the scale, Justice removes 
her sword. A judge in Turkey buys his place, and 
as he is liable to be out-bought, he makes the most 
of it. He is moreover subservient to the head of 
the state ; for there is no George the Third to ren- 
der him independent of the crown. The only sa- 
tisfaction in Turkish law is, that the case is speed- 
ily settled ; there are no chancery suits, their Old 
Bailey, their King's Bench, and all their courts, 
and their barristers, and their law-books, are com- 
prised in one small room, the Cady, his secretary, 
and the Koran. The case is stated, the witnesses 
examined, and, on a scrap of paper, is immediately 
written, Let the condemned pay so much, receive 
so many blows, or be put to death in such a manner. 
The Cady is as arbitrary as Richard, and sometimes, 
perambulating the market as a scrutator, he will 
order a cord to be drawn through a man's ear or 
nose, and a quantity of his merchandize suspended 
thereto ; or he will command a man to be shod as 
a, horse, or a baker to be put into his own oven, and 
many other experimental acts of punishment. 

In company with Lieutenant Macdonnel and 
and Mr, H. Hobhouse, I paid a second visit to the 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 205 

pyramids. I had already ascended that of Cheops, 
as every other traveller has done ; and I now felt 
an inclination to mount that of Chephrenes, be- 
cause no other European had ever yet ventured : 
that idea alone was sufficient to stimulate a lieu- 
tenant in the navy, and Macdonnel and myself de- 
termined upon the attempt. The upper part of 
the pyramid of Chephrenes presents an inclined 
plane, and I had found it an effectual obstacle to 
my advancement in my former visit : an Arab, it 
is true, had offered to go to the top if I paid for it, 
which I declined, not anticipating any gratification 
from seeing a man perpetually in danger. There 
are some Arabs who are celebrated for the per- 
formance, and are distinguished by the name of (I 
believe) Butirists : we sent for two of them, and 
they engaged to assist us. The steps on the north 
side are much worn by the pelting sand, and the 
havoc of those who have searched for an entrance ; 
we therefore ascend on the south side, and arrive, 
without much difficulty, at that point which travel- 
lers generally attain. The steps henceforth are 
cut away as with a plane, not even a ledge is 
left ; and to form an idea of the whole, you must 
fancy the pyramid of Caius Sestus smoother 
than a slated roof, and placed at such a height 
from the earth, that the slightest faux pas would 
occasion a fall double what it would be from 
the top of the Monument. Such a barrier as this 



206 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



would be insuperable, were it not that time and 
Arabs have crumbled away the edges of most of 
the stones, so that a line of holes may assist you in 
the ascent ; but these stones themselves are in 
some places three feet thick, and not every tier of 
which has a hole in it ; and where there is a hole, 
the stone is liable to crumble : the first toe hole is 
at the height of three feet, and the first finger hole 
above six. One of our guides, a tall powerful man, 
drew himself up by strength of arm, and, looking 
down upon us, told us sarcastically to reduce our 
dress to that of an Arab, if we still persisted in our 
determination, but no Franc, not even an English- 
man, had ever ventured. We had already found 
a vulture's nest — a convincing argument that the 
road was not much travelled, even by Arabs. It 
was now mid-day, and the stones were burning hot, 
the first finger hole was higher than I could reach, 
and would have afforded me a good excuse for re- 
ceding ; but the guide, supporting himself with 
one hand, laid hold of my wrist with the other, 
and drew me to a landing spot. It is the " pre- 
mier pas qui coute :" I had passed the Rubicon, — 
I forgot the heat of the stones, but still attempted 
to dissuade Macdonnel ; however he would not 
listen to me : and with each a guide in advance, 
and climbing in a zigzag direction according to the 
holes, we reached the top in about three quarters 
of an hour. We found only one other step similar 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 207 

to the " premier pas and, for the assistance of 
ourselves and those who may come after us, we 
broke away whatsoever we could. I have already 
described the top of the neighbouring pyramid, 
Cheops, as presenting a surface more than thirty 
feet square, and from which probably eight layers 
of stones have been cast down : the top of this 
has lost a few, and but very few stones. The py- 
ramid of Cheops is generally considered to be the 
loftiest, but from this we looked domi upon its 
top : that presents a traveller's directory in all lan- 
guages, on this there is only one inscription, it is 
in Arabic or Cuphic*. We did not tarry long 
here, for there is not much room to stand, and I 
was clinging to a stone fearful of vertigo and of 
being blown over ; I consequently proposed to re- 
turn before my courage should cool. To descend 
safely is much more difficult than to mount, and 
the two super-dangerous places excited no little 
fear : at the first of them, while my body was 
dangling from my fingers' ends, and my feet feeling 
in vain for a resting-place, and while I was calcu- 
lating upon how soon I should fall, the guide tore 
me down very much against my will, holding me 
as he would have held a child over the railings of 
the Monument. The time occupied was about two 
hours. 

* It is possibly of the same date as that discovered by Belzoni, 
in the interior. I regret that I did not copy it ; but I had gone 
up merely for pleasure, and had no intention of making a book. 



208 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



This pyramid, if in Hyde Park, might possibly 
be worn into a Sunday's amusement ; but in its 
present state, I believe that nothing short of heaven 
itself would ever tempt me or Macdonnel to go so 
near to heaven again, by the same means. I ask 
permission to give some proofs of the real or ima- 
ginary difficulty * of the undertaking : the Arabs 
in the neighbourhood of Cairo are much bolder 
than elsewhere, and even make a practice of hoot- 
ing and laughing at Franks. Macdonnel and my- 
self, in our return towards the river, became the 
butts of some labourers in the fields : our guides, 
who were still in company, informed them that we 
had been to the top of the pyramid of Chephrenes, 
and the tongue of ridicule became immediately 
silent. 

" And when they talk of it they shake their heads, 
And whisper one another in the ear." 

Even the consul requested Mr. Hobhouse and 
others to certify having seen us at the top ; and to 
sum up, Macdonnel says, that whoever ascends 
that pyramid without fear may call him coward." 

* Dr. Richardson, vol. i. p. 151. speaking of the pyramid of 
Chephrenes, observes, " This pyramid is of easy ascent even 
over the coating. An Arab, for a sixpence, climbed or rather 
ran up and stood upon the top of it." — A practised seaman may 
run up to the mast-head : sixpence is as as much as an Arab 
earns in two days. Why did not the doctor run up this easy 
pyramid ? 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



209 



CHAPTER XX. 

DEPARTURE FROM CAIRO SUEZ ■ — TOR THE NAR- 

KOOS ARRIVAL AT MOUNT SINAI. 

A Franc whom I casually met informed me, that 
an "accident" had just happened, viz. that a man 
had fallen down dead in the bazaar ; and this, he 
added, was the first manifestation of the jjlague. 
I urged Lieutenant Macdonnel to hasten his de- 
parture ; he had obligingly offered me a passage 
from Suez to Tor, and I had with pleasure ac- 
cepted it, for though my original intention had 
been to proceed from Cosseir to Mecca, and I had 
procured a firman for that purpose, I had been 
compelled to relinquish my design on finding that 
my dragoman refused to accompany me. We were 
still delayed in Cairo on account of an engagement 
with the Pasha for the following evening; in the 
mean time I was seeking for another dragoman. 
Among the applicants was a Frenchman who was 
one of many that had deserted from the army, and 
had become Mohammedans ; he was now anxious 
to make his escape to his own country. The re- 
negade is held in thorough contempt by the Turk. 

I joined the party in their visit to the Pasha ; 
we found him at his maison de plaisance, a short 

p 



210 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



distance from the capital ; he told us that news 
had just reached him of " two accidents," and 
that he should, in consequence, commence qua- 
rantine. 

On the following morning, in traversing a very 
small part of the town, I saw several funeral pro- 
cessions, and was informed that ten others had 
already preceded them ; fearful of accidents, I re- 
solved to have quitted Cairo within an hour. 

These funerals were well attended : the chief 
mourners had their hands blackened, and those also 
who trade in tears were hired for the occasion. 
As the ululu is strictly observed throughout 
Cairo, the city of lamentations must be particu- 
larly intolerable when the plague is at its height. 
The Turks, excepting the Pasha, and perhaps the 
upper classes in general, consider as cowardly and 
wicked any attempt to shun the plague — for it 
comes from heaven. Among the vulgar supersti- 
tions is one concerning an apparition, which, like 
the flying Dutchman, gives warning : this figure 
is described as clothed in white, and holding in 
one hand the dart of Death, and in the other the 
book of fate ; to this it refers, and gives you no- 
tice, en passant, if your name is written there. 
If these fatalists do not attempt to cure, they do 
not fly from the infected ; and it might almost be 
a reflection on our religion that Christians avoid 
a brother's woe. In no place was this practice 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 211 



ever so shamefully remarkable as in Scotland, and 
that with regard to a disease from which no danger 
need have been apprehended. 

Having taken all necessary precautions against 
plague, pestilence, and famine, we left Cairo, 
though only with the intention of encamping with- 
out the walls; here we were detained for the 
greater part of the following day, in expectation 
of two horses, which the Pasha wished Mr. Hob- 
house to convey as a present to the Marquis of 
Hastings. An Englishman, who some time before 
had been entrusted with the same commission, 
refused the office on the ground that the horses 
were not good enough ; perhaps the very same 
that were now sent — one of them was broken 
kneed, and was consequently sent back, with a re- 
quest that another might be forwarded to Suez. 

The desert from Cairo, were it not for the com- 
pliments that I ought here to pay to my compa- 
nions, outhorrids that of the Oasis, and we arrive 
at Suez without a single moment of interest, ex- 
cepting an attempt to distinguish some ostriches — 
our guides said they saw some. The Arabs, who 
have not the ophthalmia, are remarkably well sighted 
in the desert — they are so used to look on sand 
and stone that they easily distinguish what is 
not so. 

Suez is tolerable, even as a Turkish town, and 
were it in other hands it would be delightful. 

p % 



215 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

There is a large square — there is an attempt at re- 
gularity of building — there are no soldiers, and 
no plague — the situation is beautiful — the Red 
Sea appears rather as a lake, girded with rock — on 
its bosom was waving the British flag. 

We called upon the governor, respecting two 
of the crew, who had deserted ; the governor re- 
fused to deliver them up ; alleging, that every 
Mohammedan is, by his religion, a subject of 
the Gran Signor*, (as a Catholic is of the Pope,) 
and forbidden to serve an infidel. The British 
flag was flying within a short distance of his win- 
dow — this was pointed out to him — and it was 
hinted that if he persisted in his refusal, his house 
would be about his ears in half an hour : — he gave 
them up immediately. 

The expected horse arrived from Cairo, and we 
set sail ; in twenty-four hours we anchored off Tor, 
and I had to thank my friend, not only for a voy- 
age of pleasure, but for having saved me from 
three days' camel-riding, heat, sand, and bad water. 
By land, from Suez to Tor, there is nothing to be 
seen but the " bitter springs of Moses," and no- 
thing else to be drank. 

The Red Sea, in that part pointed out to us as 
having been passed through by Moses, is particu- 

* The Pope is called only the Vicar of Jesus Christ, but the 
Sultan is styled God on earth, Shadow of God, Brother of the 

SllR, &C. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. '213 

larly shallow, sufficiently so to endanger our ves- 
sel, but not so much so as to make me imagine 
that merely a prevalence of the north wind would 
ever have the same effect here that it has in the 
Dead Sea, viz. to render it fordable. In some old 
maps the track of Moses is delineated, not as hav- 
ing passed straight over from the Egyptian to the 
Arabian side, but as having made a little detour 
into the sea, and then pursued his course by 
Suez. 

The Red Sea is as blue as either the Black Sea 
or the White Sea % Of derivations to the name, 
you will find a large assortment in Quaresmius ; as 
to the coral, I have only to observe, that though it 
abounds here, it is all white ; you may choose for 
yourself between — the reflected rays of the sun, 
King Erithaeos, or the Hebrew word suph, which 
signifies both red and reed : it remained for an in,- 
habitant of Tor, in the true spirit of Greek Chris- 
tianity, to inform me that it was so called from the 
drowning of Pharaoh and his host, as if the waters 
were thereby turned into blood. He might have 
quoted — conscia lympha Deum vidit et erubuit. 

Tor is a wretched huttage, in the occupation of 
a few families, drawn together by twelve springs of 
water, and a grove of palm-trees ; for any addi- 
tional luxuries they are indebted to a few boats 
that convey weary pilgrims to and from Mecca. 

* The Mediterranean— so called by the Turks* 



214 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



The water is the best that is to be found on the 
coast, and on this account we see here a fortifica- 
tion, said to have been built by the Portuguese— it 
is now in decay. The mountains, east of Tor, 
equal any scenery that ever I witnessed in rough 
and barren nature ; they are the Alps unclothed. 
Tor is supposed to be the ancient Elhn ; the num- 
ber of springs is still the same, but that of the 
palm-trees has increased — there is another place 
named Elim between this and Suez. 

About eight miles N. from Tor, and within a 
short distance from the sea, is a phenomenon, called 
the Narkous, or bell ; and near which, so runs the 
tale, was seen a bodyless hand ringing a bell. 
Ever since that time one of the gaps in the rock 
has chosen, occasionally, to utter miraculous 
sounds. The first notice of its anger is a gentle 
rumbling, which increases gradually, till it shames 
the thunder, and in this state it will continue some 
hours, during which the sand performs an earth- 
quake. The lieutenant, who had already been 
once there, easily persuaded Mr. Hobhouse and 
myself to accompany him : we procured camels, 
and arrived at the Narkous. In outward appear- 
ance there is no difference between this and any 
other of the many neighbouring gaps, which are 
equally filled with sand. Unfortunately, on out- 
arrival, the mountain would not speak, and we had 
to wait a considerable time without hearing any 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



215 



grumbling, except our own ; at length one of the 
party scrambled up the sand — the mountain * im- 
mediately became in labour, and if the grumblings 
were not either so loud or so long as I had ex- 
pected, I must remember that the mountain 
grumbled upon compulsion ; and, notwithstand- 
ing this, I consider myself well repaid for five hours' 
camel riding. The road, in one part, lies close to 
the sea, the water of which is as beautiful in co- 
lour and in transparency as that of the Rhone at 
Geneva ; it is paved with rocks of white coral, 
and is bounded by a mountain t that reminds me 
of Monte Rosa. In our pathway grow the per- 
fumed herbs of Arabia, and the spicy gale that 
wooed our approach, was sweeter than that which 
steals its fragrance from Hymettus. 

The time approaches when Macdonnel is to 
pursue his course towards India, while I wend 
mine towards Mount Sinai. The north wind 
w T arns the sails to their duty — the anchor is al- 
ready on board — there is no excuse for longer de- 
lay—and I find myself among savages and alone. 

Here is to follow a very pathetic description of 
parting — to be finished when I am happy at home: 
ground work — the sensations of parting from a 

* There arc several inscriptions on the rocks in the vicinity, 
f Mount Kgrib. 



£16 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



friend, at any time, multiplied by the ideas that 
arise in a strange land ; add thereto the sudden 
transition from comfort to the contrary — from so- 
ciety to loneliness — from Englishmen to Arabs — 
from safety to danger, &c. ; let it be supposed 
that I hide my feelings in solitude — wander by 
the water's edge with melancholy steps and slow — 
throw myself upon a rock, dotzg6(rag itptgm — the 
winds of heaven conspire against me — the vessel 
rapidly vanishes — and the whole to conclude with 
a quotation from Ariadne's letter to Theseus, or 
any thing more apt which I may find by referring 
to indices* 

I was seated amidst the ruins of the old fort 
when the approach of my servant startled me from 
my reverie ; every thing was ready for departure, 
and every body anxious to proceed. The camels 
had been laden some time, and of these there was 
one more than I had ordered ; but it had been ren- 
dered necessary by the supply of wine and pro- 
visions, unknown of and unacknowledged, sent on 
shore by Macdonnel. I mounted the animal ap- 
pointed forme, and casting one longing lingering 
look on the fading vessel, wished a happier voyage 
to my friends. My company consisted of my two 
servants and three Arabs, the chief of whom dis- 
tinguished himself by a turban, gaily wrought in 
yellow, green, and red ; he was also mounted, and 

is animal, as the fore-horse of the team, was capa? 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 9A*f 

risoned with red and white tassels which, hanging 
about him, looked like bell-ropes. We now enter- 
ed that grove of palms which constitutes the wealth 
of Tor — every tree of it is registered — most of 
them are entailed property \ and they produce 
marriage portions in dates — as portions in Holland 
are given in tulips. 

Having threaded this sacred grove, we arrived 
at a flat sandy plain, and travelled about fifteen 
miles before sun-set.— As soon as the sun sunk to 
repose, man and beast knew the hour of rest — the 
camel dropped upon its knees, and the Arab re- 
lieved it of its burden— he then bound its two fore- 
feet together to restrain it from wandering, and at 
the same time allowing it to search for green food. 

Our guides, and probably all the Arabs of the 
desert, live from hand to mouth. — One of them 
collected dry shrubs, and clearing a bed in the 
sand, set fire to them, another had taken a mea- 
sure of flour from his sack, and adding salt and 
iaban (like buttermilk) was forming a flat cake- — 
the third roasted some coffee-beans # in an iron 
shovel, then put them into a wooden mortar, and 
hammered them to atoms with his bludgeon. — By 
the time that the cake was made the shrubs were 
burnt, the place was swept — the cake placed in the 
hollow, and the embers collected and thrown on 

* Mocha coffee is very good in Turkey, with Turkish cli~ 
; 3iiate and Turkish maimer of making it, fresh roasted, &c. 



21 S 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



it. — There was no quarrel about the bread being 
sufficiently baked — it was soon brought forth and 
devoured. The whole time from creating it till it 
was no more seen might be about ten minutes. — 
The coffee-pot was next produced, and the ashes 
were raked together to perform the further office 
of boiling what they had roasted. During this the 
camels were hallooed * home, and came as fast as 
their bandages would allow — every animal knew 
his master's face, and putting his own to it, 
dropped upon his knees as if to ask for supper. The 
Arab is as intimate with his camel as an Irishman 
is with his pig — he feeds him and kisses him. 
While the camels were eating their allotted por- 
tion of barley, their masters seated themselves 
round the fire-place, the coffee-cup was put into 
circulation, and the ashes finished their services on 
the bowls of the pipes. It was now dusk, and a 
long story was still flowing with unabated vigour. 
I therefore almost despaired of starting again be- 
fore morning, till I thought of bribing my guides 
with brandy ; with this I so far overcame Arab 
customs that the story was broken off, the camels 
reladen, and though thus late the journey was re- 
sumed. Our route continued over the sandy 
plain for about three miles, at the end of which 
we arrived at mountains of rock : the plain I iina- 

* The call is a continued sound of I lie letter R. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



219 



gine to have been once overrun by the sea, and 
these mountains are the natural boundary of Arabia 
Petraea. The moon, which was now favourable to 
our advancing, heightened the picturesque. I de- 
layed my guides for a few minutes at the mouth of 
a narrow fissure, whose extremity was lost in gloom, 
and whose sides are formed of rocks that rise to a 
fearful height : they rise from the plain beneath 
our feet to the summit of those mountains, which, 
when seen from shipboard, I had described as un- 
clothed Alps. This fissure conducts to Mount 
Sinai, and a passage of only a few feet in width 
is the breach in this bulwark of Arabia. It is 
coursed by a shallow streamlet, and is so narrow 
that' our camels were frequently obliged to walk in 
water, notwithstanding their natural antipathy to 
do so and their liability to fall. Having followed 
our clue for about an hour, we came to a wider 
space, where we resolved to finish the night ; on 
one side is a large cave : and that I might have the 
strangers in front, I placed my mattrass within it : 
fearful, however, that it might prove the resort of 
wild animals, I removed to the top of a fallen mass, 
and from which I had an opportunity of contem- 
plating a study fit for Salvator Rosa — a bivouack 
in the bowels of stony Arabia, a crater in the 
midst of rock, a scanty rill, a solitary palm whose 
unpruned leaves and unplucked fruit seemed 1111- 



£20 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

known to man, though now casually resorted to by 
Arabs ; turbans, beards, poignards, and match- 
locks, reddened by the glare of the watch-fire, 
and silvered by the soft radiance of the moon. 

Early in the morning we pursued our course, 
and at sun-set arrive at a green valley, whence we 
have the pleasure of descrying the wished-for con- 
vent. It has the appearance of a fortress, and is 
situated at the extremity of a cul de sac formed by 
overhanging rocks. If I had to represent the end 
of the world, I would model it from Mount Sinai. 

During the day's journey we did not see a 
human being, nor even the vestige of man, save 
that, on the edge of a precipice, the figure of the 
cross proclaimed the zeal and labour of some ad- 
venturous Christian. In vegetable nature I saw 
nothing remarkable except a species of sorrel, 
which my guides brought me as a galanlaria. The 
streamlet compensated for all deficiencies, and a 
person travelling in the East finds a murmuring 
rivulet as agreeable in reality as in poetry. The 
■dulness of the scene was forgotten in the amuse- 
ment of shooting. "We found many coveys of par- 
tridges ; some the large red-legged of the Grecian 
isles, others brown and differing but little from the 
English, and a third species speckled like the 
quail # . 

* In Egypt and Nubia we find the pink partridge, the pin- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 221 

It was late when we reached the convent, and as 
there is no door to beat at, nor bell, nor bugle, we 
aroused the warden by strength of lungs ; he an- 
swered from above, and demanded our credentials, 
for it is necessary to come recommended by the 
Greek Patriarch to the " fatherly care" of the supe- 
rior. A string was thrown, to which I tied my letter 
of introduction ; after some consultation a rope was 
let down, with a noose to it. In this I was desired 
to fix myself, and in this position was wound up 
into the convent. Ere I was yet freed from the 
noose, the superior commenced his <e fatherly care," 
and hugged me tightly in his arms. I was only 
released from this second unpleasant situation, to 
find myself surrounded by the rest of the fra- 
ternity : fortunately they gave me no proof of 
violent affection, and indeed some doubts had 
arisen as to my being an Englishman ; my dress 
and beard w^ere thoroughly Turkish, and my face 
had been well ripened by the sun. One of my 
servants was by this time warehoused, and he 
succeeded in removing their suspicions. " O Mi- 
lordos," straight resounded from every mouth, 
and the patience rov MtXogdov had nearly evapo- 

tailed brown, and pintailed sand coloured. Of forty-four dif- 
ferent species of birds, of which I stuffed samples, six were 
partridges, I had intended a present to the British and other 
Museums, but the skins are mostly destroyed. 



^2 l 2 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

rated in answering questions concerning England 
and the " Prinshipos Regentos," when it was hap- 
pily conceived that it might be agreeable ra> 
MtXogda to retire : he was accordingly conducted 
to a room, on the door of which is written, ug 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SI NAT, ETC. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

MOUNT SINAI. 

The travellers' room in the convent of Mount 
Sinai, like the travellers' room in a public-house in 
England, bears the pencil lings of its visiters ; the 
memoranda in themselves differing as widely as 
the places are distant from each other. Here, in- 
stead of laughing at the amatory complaints of 
bagsmen, we pause before the useful notices of 
those who journey in the pursuit of knowledge ; 
and in lieu of passing by such names as Green, 
White, Brown, we are here reminded of men 
whose labours have benefitted mankind. Seet- 
zen # , on a vessel of paper, pasted against the wall, 
notifies his having penetrated the country in a di- 
rect line, between the Dead Sea and Mount Sinai, 
a route never before accomplished ; this was the 
more interesting to me as I had previously deter- 
mined to attempt the same, it being the shortest 
way to Jerusalem. The cavaliere Frediani, whom 

* On the margin is written — Seetzen died at Acaba ; sup- 
posed to have been poisoned. 



224 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

I met in Egypt, would have persuaded me that it 
was impracticable, and that he, having had the 
same intention himself, after having been detained 
in hope five weeks, was compelled to relinquish his 
design. While I was yet ruminating over this 
scrap of paper, the superior paid me a morning 
visit ; he also said it was impossible ; but at length 
promised to search for guides. I had already en- 
deavoured to persuade those who had accompa- 
nied me from Tor, but they also talked of danger, 
and declined. We now proceeded to survey the 
convent — a square area, enclosed by a lofty wall ; 
in this are jumbled together a number of rooms, 
erected at various times, and on uneven surfaces ; 
here are likewise a church, a mosque, and a li- 
brary ; and among the most necessary articles is a 
well. The monks are frequently quarrelled with 
by the Arabs ; and, consequently, afraid to stir out. 
The wall prevents intruders, and the appearance of 
two small guns, one of which is wood, contribute 
materially to their protection, The mosque, strange 
as it appears adjoining to a church, is necessary to 
the existence of this Christian foundation — it sanc- 
tifies the place in the eyes of the Mussulman, and 
professes to acknowledge his superiority; it is even 
allowed for one person to enter it on the Turkish 
sabbath ; the library does not contain many books of 
value > all that were thought worth moving have 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 

been lately carried to Egypt ; there still remain many 
scrolls of parchment, on which are written prayers in 
Greek and Syriac, and also some damaged Aldine 
editions ; — but listen, Mr. Frognall Dibdin : — while 
I was dirtying my fingers in search of the true 
black letter, the superior told me to thrqyv away 
the stupid old books, and look at some nice new 
ones ! — They are very clean copies — they bear no 
mark, but that of the Bible Society *, and are very 
carefully put on the shelf. From the library we 
adjourned to the church — a handsome building, 
well fitted up in the Greek style, with much gild- 
ing and many portraits; among the most striking 
is the likeness of a saint, with a pig's face t, and 
another with a beard as long as himself t ; but 
Catherine is the favourite, — the founder of nun- 
neries is the patroness of this monastery ; repeti- 
tions of her portrait form the principal ornament ; 
and her bones constitute the chief wealth of the 

* A Turk once talked to me about the utility of sending Ko- 
rans among Christians. 

f I believe not Anthony, but Christopher; a saint with the 
head of that unclean animal, known by the Christians to have 
been the receptacle of the outcast devils; placed by the con- 
queror of the Jews over the gate of Jerusalem as a curse ; and 
by the Turk considered less cleanly and less fit for food than a 
dog. 

J St. Nicholas, who having but a short beard, prayed that ft 
might be lengthened ; he was desired to put his hand to it, and 
pull it as long as he pleased; — he was pleased to pull it till it 
reached his feet. 

Q 



220 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



sacristy ; not but that a proper attention is paid to 
worldly riches ; — a canvas face, on Mount Sinai, 
as well as in Rome is capable of receiving offer- 
ings ; the Holy Lady smiles propitiously even on 
Turkish money, with pieces of which she is be- 
dizened, in the same manner as an Egyptian Al- 
mah. The bones are preserved in a silver case, 
presented for that purpose by Catherine of Rus- 
sia ! and my Cicerone having passed a due eulo* 
gium upon the virtues of the Empress and the 
case, thus pursued his tale : — " Saint Catherine 
obtained her martyrdom in Egypt, from which 
place her body was removed by four angels, and 
deposited on the summit of a neighbouring moun- 
tain ; she was the wife of our Saviour*, and 
(drawing forth an amputated hand) it was upon 
this finger that he placed the ring. 53 Thus saying, 
he turned his purse inside out, and forth came a 
few silver rings, these he put upon the finger, and 
then upon mine, begging my acceptance. I paid 
the jeweller, and we now came to a second image of 
St. Catherine, near which is burning a vestal lamp, 
" it has never been extinguished, and the oil is sup- 
plied from heaven !" This is the history in Greek ; 
in plain English it means, that the slightest con- 
tribution is thankfully received, and the Virgin's 

* Every nun, notwithstanding polygamy, is called the wife of 
our Saviour.— " For her the Spouse prepares the bridal ring." 



THE OASIS, M0t7NT SINAI, ETC. Q%7 

lamp, like the widow's cruse of oil, is kept con- 
stantly filled by charity, which " droppeth like the 
gentle dew from heaven.'* Having paid tythe, I 
was hastening into a small cell or chapel, which is 
honoured by a situation immediately behind the 
grand altar ; my guide desired me to take off my 
boots, for it was on that spot that the Lord ap- 
peared unto Moses in the burning bush, and He 
himself commanded the prophet to loose his shoes 
from his feet In our return we glanced at a 
few minor relics, which my guide kissed, in spite 
of his nose. Among them is another hand of that 
Briareus, Saint George. One might imagine also, 
that every saint has as many heads as the hydra ; 
but I believe that any one who has been so unfor- 
tunately holy as to be cannonised, is torn from the 
grave and divided by the church, with as much 
dexterity as a murderer is dissected in Surgeons* 
Hall. 

We now adjourned to the fathers, assembled at 
their frugal meal ; the society consists of about 
thirty resident, and the same number of travelling 
fellows, who go from place to place seeking provi- 
sion for the convent ; — beggary is the profession of 
a monk, and his trade is begging. Among these 
papas are several that have been long secluded in 

* In the representation of the burning bush and Moses, 
which I saw, in the theatre, at Frankfort, this command is 
tittered in a very audible voice. 



223 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



this wilderness of sin ; some from religious motives^ 
others from idleness, and others, probably, flying 
from the vengeance of the law \— they are all 
Greeks. The superior has been here forty-five 
years, the last eight of which he has confined him- 
self strictly to halls, walls, and chapels; his spiritual 
ambition never soared above the bishopric of Mount 
Sinai. While we were yet discoursing, a poor old 
fellow, who says that he has been a member se- 
venty years, hobbled into this last retreat, having 
just arrived from Cairo in thirty days. Concern- 
ing a third is related the following : — he was for- 
merly a soldier in the Turkish service, in Egypt, 
and once, when in company with another, he met 
an Arab carrying fire-wood, he offered to purchase 
it, but being refused, he threw down the money, 
and took it by force. The latter part of the trans- 
action was observed by the commandant, who im- 
mediately sent his janissaries for the heads of him- 
self and comrade ; these emissaries met with two 
other soldiers, whom they decapitated on the spot ! 
Astonished at his miraculous escape, and repenting 
of a murder, of which he was in some measure 
the cause, he became a monk. By the rules of 
the convent the fraternity ought to attend prayers 
at midnight ; their diet is limited to biscuits, salt 
fish, fruit, and vegetables — manna # also is found 

* Manna, a kind of honey-dew, found on shrubs in this 
neighbourhood, also near Bagdad, said to so named from an ex- 



THfc OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 229 

liere-— wine and brandy are allowed — the sup- 
plies come from the Greek patriarch at Cairo — 
meat is forbidden — the observance of which in- 
junction is strictly adhered to — they can't get 
meat. The Arabs in the neighbourhood possess a 
few sheep, of which they occasionally kill one, 
and with great ceremony parade the victim round 
the walls of the convent. 

The second day was entirely taken up in per- 
forming a pilgrim's duty on Mount Sinai*, the 
ascent alone is calculated at fifty thousand steps t, 
and I found it a labour of two hours, stoppages 
not included. A papa, well versed in holy legends, 
was my Cicerone ; we left the convent at eight in 
the morning, and returned about seven p. m. The 
first object at which we halted is a small chapel, 
the story attached to it is this : — " The monks 
were once driven from the convent by fleas and 
famine — they were proceeding up the mountain 
to pray, when they were met on this very spot 
by a supernatural figure — say St. Catherine; this 
good angel informed them that they would find 
their larders replenished, and that fleas should ne- 
ver exist there again." The first part of the story 

elamation of wonder, on its being first discovered by the Jews. N 
Manhu ? What is this ? 

* Called by the Arabs Sinai ? Horeb, Halvin, Mouses, and 
Tor. 

■f See Maundrelh 



230 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

is probable, the prophecy certainly is not true. We 
next stopped at a portal, where it was once custom- 
ary for the pilgrim to confess his sins. Our next ob- 
jects are a large cypress tree, and a spring of beau- 
tiful water; beyond this is a chapel, erected on 
the spot w T here Elias was fed by the raven ; higher 
yet is the signal stand, whence Moses surveyed the 
fight between Joshua and Amalec ; and we now 
arrive at the top of the mountain ; here large 
masses of stone lie promiscuously together, by 
which there is formed a natural cave ; that which 
may be called the roof, has in it a slight excava- 
tion, somewhat resembling the upper part of a 
man — all around is scorched with heat. My Cice- 
rone says, that by this uncommon appearance of 
the rocks, it is clearly shown that this is the very 
place which the Lord passed over. Moses was at 
that moment hidden in the cave above-mentioned, 
and this he proved to his own satisfaction. Moses, 
thinking that the Lord had gone by, attempted to 
peep forth ; in so doing he was restrained by that 
lanre stone, and which has ever since borne the 
impression of his head and shoulders ! — " Faith 
can move mountains." 

On the very summit are two dilapidated cha r 
pels, on one side rises the rock of St. Catherine, 
more lofty and more picturesque than that of 
Sinai, but all the rest is a sea of desolation. It 
would seem as if Arabia Petraa had once been an 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 231 

ocean of lava, and that while its waves were run- 
ning literally mountains high, it was commanded 
suddenly to stand still. 

We descended by the same path as far as the 
cypress tree, and thence turned towards the con- 
vent of the forty martyrs ; it is situated on the op- 
posite side of the mountain from that which we had 
left in the morning, and to reach it employed about 
six hours ; we met with several springs, aromatic 
herbs, and small solitary cells, which were once 
the residences of Sts. : Gregory and others. 

The convent of the forty martyrs is now in 
the forcible possession of Arabs, but who still 
allow the monks to sleep there in their pilgrimage 
to the top of the neighbouring mountain, St. Ca- 
therine ; the same privilege was offered to me, as 
it is impossible to perform the double labour in 
one day ; I however declined it altogether, for my 
Cicerone confessed that there is nothing to be seen 
but a spring of water, resorted to by partridges, 
stones, bearing marks resembling trees, and the 
burial place of the saint. Some authors talk also 
of an impression of the saint on stone, but I have 
already seen one specimen of lithography. 

There is a good garden belonging to this con- 
vent, and an orchard of olive-trees. Yv r e now 
turn our steps homeward, winding round the foot 
of Mount Sinai ; a few caves are pointed out as 
having been the residence of saints, but they are 



232 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

otherwise not worth notice. Large masses of stone 
lie scattered about the valley, and on some of 
them are inscribed characters which I was in- 
duced to copy, in hope that they may be similar 
to those on the " written mountains, ' 9 and sup- 
posed to be the ancient Hebrew. 

We next came to " the stone of Moses," it is 
said to be one of those two from which, on being 
struck by the same rod that dried up the sea, 
gushed forth water; it is an irregular block of 
granite, in heighth about twelve feet, in length 
fifteen, and in width seven ; a kind of water fur- 
row, about eight inches in width is visible on 
two of its sides, several small crevices extend 
across this track, and may be called mouths, these 
are described by some author, I believe Maun- 
drell, as being " supernatural," and so clearly do 
they bear signs of water, that they are said to 
be " inerusted like the inside of a tea-kettle." 
These supernatural mouths appear to me to be 
common crevices in the rock, they are only two 
inches in depth, and their length is not con- 
fined to the water-course ; that the incrustation 
is the effect of water I have not the slightest 
doubt, for the rocks close at hand, where water is 
still dripping, are marked in the same manner, and 
if a fragment of the cliff were to fall down, we 
should scarcely distinguish between the two ; I 
thej efore doubt the identity of the stone, and also 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. £33 

the locality, for in this place the miracle would be 
that a mountain so lofty as Mount Sinai should be 
without water. 

A grotto is pointed out as having been the abode 
of St. Athanasius, and onward in the valley is 
shown the place where the earth opened and swal- 
lowed up those who worshipped the golden calf ; 
here was erected the brazen serpent, and there the 
calf was molten ; the mould itself is supposed to 
be discovered in a small hollow, which is formed 
by an uneven piece of granite, resting against an- 
other. The next object of record is a spot touched 
by the foot of Mohammed's camel, on its way to 
heaven ; and the last is a block of gray granite, 
having in it a large semicircular gap, " this was 
the pulpit of Moses, hence he used to address the 
people, and there as he sat at the foot of it the 
stone embraced his shoulders." 

We hastened to finish our journey, and within 
520 yards of the convent find a stone, rollen from 
the mountain's side, which is similar to that of 
Moses. The entrance into the convent is only 
twenty-nine feet from the ground, so that it is not 
half so formidable as the same kind of accommoda- 
tion at the Ear of Dionysius. 

The third day I passed in sketching ; I would 
willingly have proceeded on my journey, but no 
one will venture to be my guide. 

Among the talked-of curiosities of Mount Sinai* 



234 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



is said to be an impression of the hand of Moham- 
med, under which the convent enjoys many im- 
munities; I requested to see it, but the superior tells 
me that it is now at Constantinople, for the Gran 
Seignor having desired to look at it, retained it. 
The history of it he gave as follows : — It happened 
that Mohammed, when an unknown youth, was 
encamped in this neighbourhood, an eagle was 
observed to hover over him, and one of the monks 
predicted his future greatness. Mohammed, well 
pleased with the gipsy tale, made liberal pro- 
mises to the convent ; a piece of paper was pro- 
duced, but Mohammed, being unable to write, 
smeared his hand all over with ink, and made his 
mark. In about fifteen years afterwards the au- 
gury was fulfilled; the soothsayer hastened to 
Mecca, and claimed performance of the note of 
hand. Mohammed kept his promise, and swore 
by the token that the convent should remain for 
ever sacred ; that the country, as far as eye can 
scan, should belong to it ; and all the inhabitants 
thereon its slaves. This country produces nothing 
but rocks and Arabs, and the Arabs are less de- 
sirable than the rocks. The population of the dis- 
trict, at that time, consisted of about five hun^ 
dred, who, as slaves and Christians, used to come 
for their daily bread. The population is now in- 
creased, and the Arabs have become Moham- 
medans. It is forbidden for a Mohammedan to 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, fiTC. 235 

serve a Christian*, but they still demand their 
rations ; and sometimes, when we are unable to 
supply them, they kidnap one of the fraternity, 
and detain him till the ransom is paid. — The lan- 
guage of the East, whatever may be the sound that 
it assumes, is allegory and hyperbole. 

Besides the known entrance into the convent, is 
a secret door, leading to the garden ; this latter 
is seldom opened; over it is an inscription in 
Greek, accompanied by a translation in Arabic, 
stating that this {6ovu<rrngiov was built by the father, 
Justinian. In the garden are some olive and al* 
mond trees, also some cypresses, and a shrub said 
to have been planted there by Moses himself. 

At length there is found an Arab who is willing 
to conduct me to the Dead Sea; the bargain is 
yet to be made, and for this purpose I am led into 
an out-house, in the wall of which is an aperture 
sufficiently large to admit the voice ; the Arab is 
on the other side, and for some reason which I 
cannot clearly ascertain, I am not allowed to see 
rny future guide; he proposes that I shall take 
five camels and five men, to this I object, that such 
a parade will render us liable to attack, without 
affording us the means of resistance ; but he cuts 
the argument short, by declaring that he will not 
go unless these terms are acceded to. And now 



* Remember our Catholic Laws. 



236 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



as to the price : — he demands more than lie ex- 
pects to obtain, and I offer less than I think he 
will accept : he says seven thousand paras for each 
camel, and I say two : he, carefullv omitting the 
customary appellation of merchant, calls me 
Hadji *, Milordos, Eccellenza, and finally ex- 
claims — Englitz, Englitz. This climax is but an 
ill compliment, for it would seem that even on 
Mount Sinai the English are thought rich enough 
to be fools. 

Seven thousand paras, if we calculate the pro- 
bable time that the Arabs would be absent from 
their homes, would yield less than half-a-crown per 
diem, for both camel and master ; this seems mode- 
rate enough, but I have found that the Arabs, like 
the Italians, always demand more than they expect. 
Englishmen, whether from ignorance or pride, ge- 
nerally pay without demur ; but this custom ought 
to be broken through, particularly in a country 
where poverty is the best safeguard, and where 
ostentation renders oneself and others subject to 
imposition and to danger. 

Agreed to pay four thousand paras for man and 
camel, and to this I promised a becksheesh condi- 
t ion ally, but no money was to be expected till I 

* Hadji, Pilgrim ; travellers are sometimes so called by the 
Turk in compliment ; Excellenza is the title usually bestowed 
in Italy by a begging post-boy — the Arab u:*ed the word Ameer 

—Prince. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 237 

should find the banker at the end of my journey. 
I believe that an Arab would rather have the value 
of two pounds sterling, if called by that good 
round name — four thousand paras — than half as 
much again, if merely denominated one hundred 
and twenty piastres ; and he would rather take 
less by five hundred than give up the idea of beck- 
sheesh, though he be certain that the becksheesh 
will not amount to half that sum. 

There was still one point unsettled — the nom 
de voyage ; as we were to pass for Turks, it was 
judged as well not to make use of names that 
would betray us as Christians. One of my ser- 
vants is a Greek, and you may therefore guess his 
name is Nicholas ; the other is a Maltese, and his 
is therefore Giovanni *; but it had pleased my god- 
fathers and godmothers not to borrow from the 
New Testament, and having a name which is 
neither Christian nor Turkish, I adopted one which 
is both — Joseph. 

* The tutelar Saint of Malta is John — Johannes ; Giovanni ; 
and by the Arab Christians called Anna or Hannah. 



238 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIAj 



CHAPTER XXIL 

DEPARTURE FROM MOUNT SINAI, 

The superior told me a long history of the po- 
verty of the convent, expressed himself grateful 
for what I gave him, and presented me with two 
large prints on holy subjects, and his blessing. 
Five Arabs, with their camels, were now in at- 
tendance beneath the walls ^ I fixed myself once 
more in the noose, and was lowered into the arms 
of my guide* 

It is customary, previous to embarking on ari 
expedition of danger, to demand the Arab as- 
surance of fidelity, and I had now an opportunity 
of witnessing this ceremony. On mentioning the 
subject to the elder of the party, he immediately 
drew his sword, placed some salt upon the blade* 
and then put a portion of it into his mouth, and 
desired me to do the same 5 and " now, cousin," 
said he, "your life is as sacred to me as my own;' 3 * 
or, as he expressed himself, " Son of my uncle, 
your head is upon my shoulders." My head be- 
ing upon his shoulders rendered us consanguine- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



239 



ous, by eating together we became friends*, and 
that friendship was to be maintained by the naked 
sword. Salt is considered by the Arab as so ne- 
cessary to life, that he often carries a portion of it 
about his person. The itinerant bakers in Egypt, 
on selling a roll, offer a pinch of salt and carraway 
seeds ; but Jerusalem, when it was taken, and 
ploughed up, was sown with salt. 

The camels were speedily laden, and I bade 
adieu to the convent. The journey was calculated 
at ten days, and for this the monks had supplied 
me with that food of the desert — loaves and fishes ; 
I was provided also with rice, coffee, and sago. 
My guides had pledged their faith, so that if I 
had previously felt under any apprehension, I 
was now willing to accredit the usual character of 
the Bedouin. I had two servants with me, one of 
whom, the Maltese, had been some years a sailor, 
and consequenty I believed him to be courageous ; 
the other was a Greek — but what of that? — he 
could not steal much from me, and as to the hour 
of danger, I had only to hope that there would be 
no occasion for his running away. 

Ere we had been two hours and an half on our 
journey, the guides stopped at a few gipsy tents, 
under pretence of purchasing food, but really for 

# By the law a Mohammedan may not eat with a Christian, 
as by so doing he would be no longer an enemy. 



240 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

the purpose of wasting time — the place is called 
Sarlahk. 

Our second stoppage occurred at the burial 
place of a saint; here the Arabs added each a 
stone to the heap that is raised to perpetuate his 
memory ; the elder of the party performed his 
prayers very ceremoniously, and having done so, 
he took some dust from the holy ground and 
sprinkled it on the head of the camel on which 
I rode ; this was his own, and it was hoped that 
by this means, as by the sprinkling of holy water 
on the horses at Rome, the animal would be pre- 
served from accidents. 

We paused next at a detached mass of rock, 
which is called Mohammed's seat ; on one of its 
sides is a slight excavation, or shallow basin ; but it 
is so formed on an inclined plane that it would be 
impossible for any ordinary mortal to retain his 
place in it. Arab superstition requires that some 
one should be in the chair, and it is accordingly 
called the resting place of the Prophet ; — in En- 
gland it would be called the Devil's seat. The 
pious Mussulman never goes by it without strew- 
ing it with herbs, and we all did so likewise. 

Knowing this stone to be situated on the road 
to Suez, I taxed my guide with deviating from our 
plan , he excused himself by declaring that there 
is no other commencement to the journey ; that 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SJNAJ, ETC. 241 

on the morrow he would lead us towards the 
north, but that for the present he must request 
me to turn westward, as it was intended to pass 
the night among some friends. 

As the sun went down the alarm of the Greek 
increased, and unable any longer to conceal his 
apprehensions, he told me that one of our party 
had, in the character of a guide, already mur- 
dered a traveller that was under his protection. 
The circumstance had been related to him by one 
of the papas at the moment when I had de- 
scended from the convent, and when my impa- 
tience compelled him to leave the story unfinished. 
Without further delay I desired an explanation, 
and one of the Arabs, stepping forward, gave me 
the following -he had once undertaken to con- 
duct a stranger, who happening in the course of 
the journey to precede him by some little dis- 
tance, was fired at from behind a rock, but not 
hit ; he, in duty to his charge, ran to his assist- 
ance, and killed the robber, while in the act of re- 
loading his musket. 

As evening advanced we turned from our road 
to a small encampment called Garbah, and were 
hospitably received; a fire was lighted — coffee 
prepared — and orders given to kill and boil a kid : 
without waiting for the latter part of the entertain- 
ment, I retired to my mattress, which was spread 
upon the sand, sheltered from the wind by a lofty 

R 



242 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

rock, and canopied by heaven. I confess I now 
began to regard things with a jaundiced eye, and 
while I ought to have been sleeping, I was think- 
ing of being shot at. The Arabs amused them- 
selves with eating, smoking, and story-telling, till 
after midnight. 

April 25. — 2nd day. About eight o'clock 
in the morning we resumed our journey, and 
in half an hour regained our course in the 
valley of Barak. In this valley is the second 
stone struck by Moses, and I desired my guides 
to point it out — they pretended ignorance of it 
altogether ; however, I saw many marked in a 
manner similar to that at the foot of Mount 
Sinai. 

About mid-day two of my guides declared their 
intention of going by the Wadi Faran, and re- 
quested me to visit their encampment ; this I de- 
clined, for two reasons ; I knew that it was in the 
ordinary route to Suez, and I was glad to get rid 
of these, the two eldest; I had already found 
them dilatory, and whenever I urged them for- 
ward they used to answer me like my Sicilian 
muleteers — Sir, Sir, one step at a time ; when I 
told them that it was necessary to be at Jerusalem 
by a certain day, they would reply with German 
apathy, that I ought to have set out sooner ; and 
when I argued upon the probability of succeed- 
ing in my wishes, they would throw the blame 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



243 



from their own shoulders, and say— if it so pleases 
God. Having made arrangements for overtaking 
ns, they turned off to the W. while we diverged to 
the N. : they were no sooner out of sight than I 
offered to double the becksheesh if we should ar- 
rive at Jerusalem without waiting for them, and 
the bargain was agreed to. We rested our camels 
at two large blocks of granite, lying at the foot of 
a temporary water-course, the sand beneath which 
presents a beautiful appearance, from the quantity 
of mica interspersed with it. We soon arrived at 
an Arab burial-ground — the graves are marked by 
stakes and stones. Another of my guides ran off 
to pay a visit ; this, I imagine, was done on pur- 
pose to retard me. We passed the night in a 
place called Sighyard, alias Hazle-ain. 

26. — 3d day. We were no sooner mounted than 
I goaded my camel to some distance in advance, as 
well for the pleasure of looking for birds as to 
excite the others. On a sudden some pedestrian 
Arabs came in sight ; I changed my small shot 
for ball, and turned back to look for my party ; 
they were not far behind, and on my looking 
round again, the cause of my alarm had disap- 
peared among the rocks. We next descended 
into a narrow valley, abounding in trees : in our 
path were several sacks of charcoal, and many 
other useful articles, but without any visible owner. 
Our guides walked round and admired them , 



244 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

and, whatever might have been their inclinations, - 
they certainly did not touch any thing; — there 
is honesty among Arabs. Presently we spoke to 
a man chopping wood, and I recognized him as 
the gardener of Mount Sinai. Some of the trees 
in this valley belonged to him and his clan, and he 
had come hither to make charcoal; this he car- 
ried to Cairo, to exchange for corn. Charcoal in 
Cairo, and corn in Arabia Petrgea, must be of 
great value, that a few sacks of it should, by the 
exchange, repay a journey of twelve days # through 
the desert; and the honesty of Arabs towards 
one another must be remarkable, when it allows 
things of such consequence to remain by the way- 
side untouched. 

Met a strolling village ; — the men on foot, the 
women on camels, the children on asses ; their 
bedding supplied the place of saddles ; and their 
furniture, and their very houses, were tied up 
with a bit of string, and fastened to the sides of 
the animals. The furniture of a Bedouin con- 
sists in little more than utensils for coffee ; a few 
stakes and a few yards of cloth constitute a 
house. Bedouins do not require a day to build a 
town ; and at an hour's notice they change their 
residence from one place to another. 

* From this valley to Cairo, and return to Mount Sinai. 
The Arabs of this part are supposed to be under the dominion 
of the Pasha of Egypt, and hold no intercourse with Syria. 



TME OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 245 

Finding that my remaining guides were deaf to 
the voice of becksheesh, and determined to await 
their friends, I expressed a wish to visit the Writ- 
ten Mountains, but they were now behind us ; I 
then turned my thoughts to Sarbat al Kardem, 
and having sent the camels forward, we proceeded 
thither on foot. After two hours' march we ar- 
rived at a water-course, by this we ascended with 
much difficulty to the top of the mountain, and 
here we found a temple and a variety of upright 
stones ; the tout ensemble resembling a church 
and church-yard. The temple was never remark- 
able for size, design, or execution ; it has likewise 
not been spared by the evil genius of Egypt ; its 
paltry remains are almost overwhelmed by sand ; 
labour and curiosity have laid open the wrecks of 
a few small chambers, and uncovered the frag- 
ments of a statue, and the diminutive mimicry 
of an Egyptian pillar. The monumental tablets 
are only two feet wide, eight inches thick, and 
from six to nine feet high. On the eastern and 
western sides of all are hieroglyphics, and even 
on the four sides of some of them ; but the de- 
stroying power has caused the " east wind to 
blow," so that the hieroglyphics which were ex- 
posed to its effects are defaced. There is no 
beauty whatever on the spot, either in art or na- 
ture, but it is peculiarly interesting. This Egyp- 
tian stile of tomb-stones is unique. — With the 



246 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



mummies at Sacchara are found small round- 
headed engraved tablets. The hieroglyphics in 
this place appear to me in some measure varying 
from those of Egypt, and intermixed with the Per- 
sepolitan character. The pillar, like those of Den- 
dara, represents the head of Isis ; but in this in- 
stance the hair forms a curl on either side of the 
neck ; this is the more remakable as the volute of 
the Tonic order is said to be conceived from the 
same idea. We rejoined our camels, and made a 
good fire : it now commenced to rain, which, ex- 
cepting a few drops at Cairo, is the first that I 
have seen for seven months ; — as long as it lasted 
I was wishing for a tent. 

27th. — ^th day. In three hours we arrive at 
the foot of a chain of hills*; the ascent employed 
us one hour and a half ; arrived at the top, we find 
ourselves directly N. of Sarbat el Kardem. — See 
also Mount Sinai, Mount Serbahl, and Mount Egrib. 
We have now quitted the Suez road. — We passed 
the night near a large pool of excellent water. 

28th. — Our guides came up with us at sun- 
rise — took in water for three days — shot a speckle- 
headed partridge. 29th and 30th. — During the 
sixth and seventh days of our journey we met 
with only two incidents : — One evening, when I 
had taken my place for the night, the clouds 



* Called either Te, or Errahkney, or both. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 247 

thickened rapidly ; without much warning it came 
on to rain, and when it did come, it poured. I 
took up my bed and walked ; but I was already 
drenched \ the storm did not last five minutes, but 
it was like a water-spout. 

My guides mentioned to me that we should be 
obliged to pass close to a fortress, where, if seen, I 
should most probably be robbed of all my lug- 
gage ; perhaps my clothes, my liberty, and even 
my life ; it was therefore proposed that we should 
lie by till night, and I accordingly agreed with 
the opinions of my guides. Soon after an Arab 
came in sight, and from him we learnt that there 
was only one man in the castle, and I then per- 
suaded the guides to proceed. About a quarter 
past six p. m. we came within sight of a small square 
fortress*, situate near the meeting of two deep 
brooks j arrived within an hundred yards of this 
place, we saw a man on the look-out, and he 
immediately retired. I was some fifty yards in 
advance, and happening to observe three other 
men run hastily by the door-way, my suspicions 
were excited ; especially as we had been told that 
there was only one person in the fortress. Three 
paths now offered themselves to my choice ; one 
led within a few yards of the building, and the 
farthest from it was just within gun-shot ; I chose 



* Called Nahkley, or the date-tree. 



24S 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



the middle one, and slackened my pace, so that the 
rest of my party had come up by the time that we 
were a-breast of the door-way. At this moment 
there was nobody to be seen. A lad now came 
forward to know who we were, and what our busi- 
ness : my guides returned for answer, that I was 
carrying despatches from the Pasha of Egypt to 
him of Acre 5 the youth went back, and we ad- 
vanced very slowly. I had taken particular notice 
that no salutation whatever passed between the 
messenger and our part}^, and this being so great a 
deviation from Arab custom, as far as I had hi- 
therto seen, that I was induced to enquire the 
cause. My guide answered me, that the saluta- 
tion was a token of peace and friendship, and 
could not possibly be given on this occasion, as 
we should probably be compelled to fight. The 
lad came forward a second time, and requested 
that I would alight and take coffee. My guides 
reminded me that I could certainly hope for no- 
thing better than to be allowed to go back naked 
to Suez, even if I escaped with my life ; I there- 
fore declined the invitation, and we proceeded 
slowly forward. The lad turned back, and eight 
men armed, four of them with matchlocks, hasten- 
ed after us ; we accordingly prepared for action. 
We were equal in point of numbers, but our arms 
were limited to two guns, two pistols, three swords, 
and lances. We stopped the camels — our adver- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 249 



saries were by this time within shot, and I consi- 
dered myself justified in taking the advantage that 
an English gun would give me over the match- 
locks of the country ; I calculated on killing one 
at least while they should be striking a light, and 
took my aim accordingly. Our adversaries, find- 
ing us in earnest, stopped short ; one of my own 
guides threw the mouth of my musket into the 
air, and entreated me not to commence hostilities. 
The enemy receded, and my servant, Giovanni, 
proposed to attack them ; but the guides were too 
well pleased not to proceed in their journey. 
There was one advantage attending this incident, 
we travelled later than we should otherwise have 
done. 

This fortress El Nahkley is, I believe, the boun- 
dary between the Pashalics of Egypt and Acre, 
and therefore, within the pale of both ; it was for 
that reason that my guides said I was carrying 
despatches from one governor to the other. There 
is, probably, some fine or custom to be paid in 
passing ; and it was, perhaps, to save nine pence 
or a shilling that my guides had thus exposed their 
charge. 

1st May. — Early on this the eighth day we pur- 
sued our route ; about one o'clock we descended into 
a large plain of sand : at this time the wind was get- 
ting up, and the air soon became so thick that even 
if we did manage to open our eyes, it was impossible 



<250 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



to see ten yards. We had previously observed a 
number of trees and shrubs fortunately to leeward, 
and we hastened to them for shelter ; here we 
managed to protect ourselves : the sand-storm was 
over in an hour, and we resumed our journey. 
About four o'clock we came within sight of an en- 
campment of Bedouins ; a tall figure clothed in red 
was seated on a rock, at about half a mile from 
the tents : as we approached towards him, he hur- 
ried homeward. A drizzling rain was falling at 
this moment, and was in my opinion the occasion 
of his speed ; my guides seemed to think other- 
wise, and paused for some minutes in consultation : 
they were evidently where they did not consider 
that they had a right # to be. It was now resolved 
that I should pass for a Turk carrying despatches 
from Suez to Jerusalem, on no account whatever 
to mention Mount Sinai, nor to betray ourselves 
as Christians ; and this point settled, it was re- 
solved to visit the tribe. 

We passed through various flocks of sheep and 
goats guarded by shepherdesses, and arrived at 
the gipsy tents ; they were scattered irregularly 
around. Every habitation presents a walling of 
three sides, formed with camel hair-cloth about 
four feet high ; a covering is thrown over, and this 
is divided into chambers for the men, the women, 
and the cattle. We advanced towards the largest, 

* We had now entered into Syria. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



C 2CA 



which proved to be that of the red-cloaked figure, 
that had disappeared at our approach ; he now got 
up and welcomed us, and, taking up the stakes at 
one side, enlarged his house to make room for us ; 
a fire was lighted in a corner, and coffee and pipes 
were prepared : orders were given to kill a kid, 
and we were all seated very comfortably together, 
when some suspicion arose in his mind as to my 
being a Turk. He began to examine my guides 
and myself ; I answered him, in Arabic, that I un- 
derstood but little of his language, but would talk 
as much Turkish as he pleased : I spoke the only 
two words of which I was master ; and, on his de- 
claring utter ignorance of the language, I discoursed 
with my servants in Italian. He was easily convinced 
that the Maltese was an Arab, and that the Greek 
was a Turk, but there still remained much doubt 
as to me ; he appealed to the eldest of the guides, 
who declared that I w r as a Turk : he then put his 
hand upon his beard and said Wallah! (really, or by 
G — !) My guide put his hand also upon his beard, 
and took his oath of it, repeating w 7 ith great em- 
phasis Waallahh ! The evening passed off plea- 
santly enough. A pack of naked children came, 
and rolled about in the sand \ the sheep and goats 
joined the party ; and it was equally astonishing 
and amusing to observe how these horned animals 
submitted quietly to the pinches and caresses of the 
children, and with what caution they passed over the 



L 25"2 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

bodies of the naked infants. My mattress was 
placed in a corner, and the goats came frequently 
to play with me ; perhaps it was the pleasure that 
I evinced on the occasion which betrayed me. 

2d May, 9th day. — Our host is in stature far 
above the common height of man, in figure grace- 
ful, in feature handsome, in expression command- 
ing, and noble in deportment ; vain of his beauty, 
he girds his brows with an expensive shawl ; and 
proud of his superiority, he assumes a long flowing 
mantle of red. I had been so pleased with his 
manners and hospitality, that I made him a suitable 
present *, and he in return offered to conduct me 
to Jerusalem by a route two days shorter than that 
which had been planned. I accepted his offer 5 
and we were on the point of setting out, when the 
chief of a neighbouring clan joined our party : he 
rode with us till we made our mid-day halt, and 
on taking leave he demanded his becksheesh, I 
asked upon what pretension ; he admitted that he 
had performed no service, and had no other claim 
except that having once met a traveller near the 
Written Mountains he asked for becksheesh, and 
received a handsome present without any question 
being asked. I saw my imprudence in my morn- 
ing's gift : I had thrown aside the custom of 
Turks, and the safeguard of strangers, and I was 

* By the advice of my servant, I limited the present to two 
dollars. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT STNAI, ETC. 



258 



now called upon to establish a custom that might 
not only be injurious to future travellers, but 
create also at present an idea of superfluous money. 
On these considerations I positively refused to give 
him any thing, and he went his way. 

We pursued our course, and about an hour before 
sun-set came within sight of two large stone build- 
ings, having the appearance of fortresses, and si- 
tuate on the edge of a lofty rock ; in the vale be- 
neath were some stone houses in ruins, a variety of 
trees and shrubs were growing in a water-course, 
and a small quantity of corn indicated that though 
the houses were deserted the arable soil was still 
resorted to. I hastened forwards to gratify my 
curiosity, and found a square building, composed 
of laboured sand-stone ; it is thirty-six paces in 
length, about twenty-five feet in height and hav- 
ing loop-holes ; a considerable breach has been 
forced through the wall : here are some fragments 
of pillars two feet in diameter. The second build- 
ing is much the larger ; in this is a circular dun- 
geon, and a reservoir thirty-two feet deep, two- 
thirds of wmich are built and the remaining is 
cut in the live rock \ also the vestiges of a Greek 
church, the large and two smaller recesses or altars 
are but little injured. While I was proceeding in 
my survey the guides, running up in great haste 
and some alarm, desired me to come forth ; for 
Turks would not have the curiosity to look at even 



254, 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



the noblest edifices of Jours, and certainly not the 
patience to measure and investigate a building not 
worth imitating and not worth seeing : I acknow- 
ledged the truth of the remark, and saw no in- 
ducement to disobev. 

Distant hence about two miles, our red guide 
proposed to visit a clan encamped on the neigh- 
bouring hill side. I urged my despatches, but 
without effect ; he insisted, that to pass by a tribe 
without calling, would be a deviation from friend- 
ship, that the darkness would compel us soon to 
halt, that in such case we should be regarded with 
suspicion, and probably attacked during the night. 
I was, therefore, obliged to do as Bedouins do. 
As we approached the encampment a number of 
men ran into their tents, and showing their heads 
over the walling, took aim at us with their match- 
locks. In Egypt I had been complimented in the 
same manner, but I now felt particularly awkward ; 
my guide desired me to take my hand from my 
gun, and we advanced bravely : the men threw 
down their matchlocks, enlarged the walls, slaugh- 
tered a kid, and prepared coffee. Of this I did not 
think to partake, for my head ached so excessively, 
that I desired a servant to draw my bedding into a 
corner of the tent, and there I endeavoured to 
compose myself to sleep. The fire was blazing, the 
kid boiling, the camels fed — the pipes lighted, the 
coffee in circulation, and our party increased by 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. c 253 

ten or a dozen strangers — nothing was now want- 
ing but the kid ; when in came the man, to whom 
in the morning I had refused becksheesh. He had 
no sooner taken his station than he denounced us 
as Christians, asserting that as such we were subject 
to be deprived of every thing scarcely excepting 
our lives. Our new hosts saw the propriety of this 
reasoning, and insisted upon knowing whether we 
were Christians : our guides declared that we were 
Mohammedans, and our red-coated friend swore 
to it ; under the deception that had been put upon 
him, he was determined in our defence. The dis- 
appointed chief still persisted in his assertions ; the 
words on both sides grew louder, and the affair 
assumed so serious an aspect that I called for my 
gun; it had till now been in the hands of the 
Greek, he having charge of the luggage. The 
Maltese brought it to me, and placed himself by 
my side ; and the whole of my guides in a manner 
that I could not have expected ranged themselves 
in order of battle, every sword was drawn, when 
the red-mantled chieftain demanded one moment's 
attention. " Stop," says he, "you know that six 
of you dare not look me in the face, you know 
who and what I am ; I will not deny that you may 
overpower us by numbers, but be aware also that 
my clan will extirpate yours. I brought these 
strangers to your hospitality ; and whether they 
be Turks or Christians, behave to them as you 



256 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBlAy 



would behave to me." These words, spoken by 
such a man and in such a tone, had the desired 
effect ; our adversaries put up their swords, recon- 
ciling themselves to this species of defeat by ob- 
serving, " You are under our roofs, and we may 
not be the aggressors." The coolness of the 
Maltese had excited great astonishment, and one 
of them asked, how it happened that he was not 
afraid ?" " I do not belong to that nation, 5 ' was 
his reply. This war of words had lasted about two 
hours, and on its ceasing notice was given that the 
kid was boiled. The man that went to fetch it 
brought back with him the Greek servant # , who 
had strayed to a little distance ; and there were 
other little particulars attending the circumstance, 
which afforded considerable amusement to the 
Arabs for the rest of our journey. There was also 
one thing to be lamented: during his absence 
from the baggage some of the Arabs, probably of 

* I must do Nicholai the justice to observe, that whenever I 
offered him an escort and his choice of going by any route 
which was considered safer than the one I had determined upon 
for myself, he invariably preferred accompanying me. On the 
other hand, Giovanni, on one occasion, positively refused ; he 
had a presentiment that I should be attacked by banditti (and 
so I was) ; and he made for excuse, that he was " too courage- 
ous :" — that he was a youth who could brook nothing, and his 
rashness would expose all the party to destruction. He was, in 
fact, too passionate ; and his invariable advice to me was, when- 
ever I ielded the baton, which was very seldom, " It is no use 
hitting iiim on the back; hit the head — that breaks." While in 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 25J 



our own party, had pilfered nearly all our ammu- 
nition. The arrival of supper put us all in good 
humour, excepting the disappointed chief ; without 
waiting to partake of it, he swore eternal enmity 
to the leader of our guides and withdrew. The 
evening passed off pleasantly enough, examining my 
gun, and calculations on the distance that it would 
bring a man down ; one of the party related a 
story, in which he had killed a man at two hundred 
yards : our conversation turned on murder and me- 
dicine, and I on my side ventured on antiquities ; 
concerning such things our friends knew but little 5 
of the ruins that I had passed that evening, they 
could only inform me that it was called the stone 
(El Hadjar,) but that there were three old towns 
about two days distant to the east ; and when I 
asked if they were w r orth seeing, they answered me 
that they had only found wood there for two days* 
firing. 

Egypt, it was with considerable difficulty that my dragoman 
Mohammed, and myself prevented him from beating the Reiss 
to death — the green-turbaned Reiss, for whom I had at first 
some respect, and whom eventually I turned out of the boat. 
Giovanni Fiammingo intends to establish his quarters at Cairo, 
and to accompany travellers any where except to Syria. I 
recommended him to my friends, Waddington and Hanbury ; 
he went with them to Dongola, and brought their horses to Eng- 
land. I have since seen him ; he would rather go to Dongola 
twenty times than once from Mount Sinai to Gaza — that " peri- 
culosissimo viaggio." 



258 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



2d May, 9th day. — Early this morning I missed 
our red guide, and immediately the idea of trea- 
chery flashed across my mind ; after waiting up- 
wards of an hour he made his appearance, and his 
excuse was that his dromedary had strayed and he 
had been in search of it — this might be true, and 
perhaps I was wrong in feeling any doubt upon the 
subject. We took leave of our hosts without pay- 
ing, and yet good friends, even though suspected 
to be Christians. We soon came within sight of 
another clan ; two men came forward, and, stating 
that they had " a fair fat lamb," invited us to come 
and partake of it. This I declined as civilly as 
possible, but not without giving some little offence : 
our party, however, made a promise to eat with 
them on their return, and we proceeded. One of 
our guides turned off to some distance for a supply 
of water ; we had just descended a sand-bank, 
when a stranger galloped in among us : his dress, 
his dromedary*, and his beard proclaimed his con- 
sequence ; he might be about sixty years of age, 
his eyes sparkled as if with anger, and addressing 
himself to our red-mantled chieftain, he invited 
us to turn aside to his clan, and eat with him. 
This I declined — he commanded, and I refused; he 
threatened, and our warrior "cursed his beard t!" 

* A dromedary differs from a camel in its make, its uses, and 
its master, as a hunter differs from a pack-horse. 

f The greatest insult that can be offered to an Arab. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. c 25\) 

The words were no sooner uttered than both par- 
ties leaped to the ground ; one — unsupported in the 
midst of eight men, whom he looked upon as ene- 
mies, and armed only with a single pistol, he 
rushed forward to avenge the insult ; the other, 
fired with equal rage, poised his spear and ran to 
the attack. Giovanni seized hold of the pistol, 
and the Arabs placed themselves between the par- 
ties ; they then deprived the bearded lion of his 
strength, and told him to retire, and, he still 
threatening, " if you do not choose to come to my 
clan, my clan shall come to you," led away his 
dromedary. I insisted on his pistol being restored 
to him ; the Arab commissioned to the office rob- 
bed it of its priming, and the old hero replaced it 
in his belt. The rest of our party proceeded on- 
ward. I waited to see the commission executed ; 
when observing the heads of three men peeping 
over the sand-hill, I felt some apprehension for the 
safety of him that had gone in search of water, and 
desired the pistol-bearer to wait for his friend, 
this he refused ; and I therefore waited myself : 
in a few minutes I had the pleasure of seeing him 
advance unmolested by the videttes, and we over- 
took our party. There was one advantage attendant 
on the adventure of this day : we travelled nearly 
eleven hours, even our red-mantled chief was afraid 
to stop where we had intended. My Greek servant 

s 2 



2G0 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

proved too of considerable use — he never closed 
his eyes all night. 

In the course of conversation it came out, that 
our red friend had formerly been in the habits of 
intimacy with the angry warrior ; he had borrowed 
of him a few camels and fifty sheep, and having 
no intention whatever of repaying him, he had 
avoided him for the last two years ! — Here, then, 
was the secret ; and it was presumed that the man 
who had the preceding evening proclaimed us as 
Christians, knowing of this existing feud, had given 
notice of our passing. Our conversation now 
turned upon medicine, and I was offered three 
camels and nine sheep if I would go into the de- 
sert on the following day, to cure a sick friend, 
but I had already become very suspicious of our 
William of Deloraine. 

3rd May. — 10th day. We pursued our route : 
early this morning met several strolling villages — 
passed over a large plain of verdure, on which 
were grazing an immense herd of camels — they 
are all marked, and belong to tribes far and near. 

About two o'clock we came to an encampment, 
where it was resolved to rest ourselves. One of 
my guides, in taking off the luggage, placed my 
gun in such a situation, intentionally, that unless I 
had snatched it up, the camel would have knelt 
upon it, and broken it. The chief came out to 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 26 1 



welcome us, and led me into his tent, he then 
stooped to the ground, and spreading out the bo- 
som of his shirt, said to me, " Son of my uncle, 
if thou hast nothing else to sleep on, thou shalt 
rest thee here." He then prepared the coffee, 
and went to the tents of the females for a sheep. 
As soon as it was killed, skinned, and boiled, it 
was chopped to pieces, put into a large wooden 
bowl, and placed in the midst of us ; our table 
was a sheep-skin, and this served also for wearing- 
apparel. Our host commenced by helping him- 
self ; and having thus convinced us that he could 
recommend it as not being poisoned, we were de- 
sired to partake ; bread and vegetables— knives 
and forks are not in use in this part of the world, 
and we made our repast, a l'Arabe, my bosom 
friend taking particular care whenever he pulled 
forth a piece of fat to throw it into my lap. 
During the operation two others joined the party ; 
I had observed them coming across the desert 
from a long distance — they had come straight to 
the right tent, and as soon as the feast was finished 
they departed in an opposite direction. Imagining 
them to be strangers, I enquired concerning them 
of my host ; he told me that they were travellers *, 
who casually passing, had seen our camels halt, 
and therefore knew that a sheep would be killed, 

* These men had nothing with them but a cap, a shirt, a belt, 
a spear, and a pair of sandals each. 



262 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

and that they would be welcome ; — he had never 
seen them before ; but he also expected, through 
whatever tribe he passed, to be furnished with 
food. 

While the camels were being reladen, mine host 
was called forth by our William of Deloraine, and 
when he returned, he said very archly, " there is 
yet one lamb to be killed." I immediately con- 
cluded that we were betrayed, as Christians ; and 
the fact was proved, by mine host requesting beck- 
sheesh : he modestly hinted that the turban from 
my head would be very well received ; he became 
very importunate, but when he did repeat 11 there 
is yet one lamb to be killed," he did it in such a 
manner as if he knew the fate of Judas, and re- 
membering that we had dipped into the same dish. 
He had previously told me that our journey would 
be terminated on the following morning, and I 
promised him that if he would become our guide, 
and fulfil our expectations, I would reward him 
for that He put on his spear, and we pursued 
our route. 

Saw several tortoises — arrived, about seven 
o'clock, at the edge of a wide river bed, nearly 
dry ; we were here equidistant from Heliaale (He- 
bron), and from Gaza, the former N. the latter W. 
and which would I prefer — Gaza. 

Forded the stream — encamped for the last 
time — this part much infested with thieves— our 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 263 

luggage is heaped up all together — and our camels 
and ourselves form a guard around it. 

4th May. — 11th day. By dawn I had com- 
pelled every body to be ready — entered on a cul- 
tivated plain — disturbed a herd of gazelles at their 
morning amusement among the corn — approach 
an encampment of Bedouins — their tents are 
pitched in circle — this is the first attempt at regu- 
larity that I have yet seen — it almost denotes a dif- 
ferent race of people — three of our guides go for- 
ward, and request permission to pass — granted — 
and we pursued our way— arrive at the top of a 
ridge of hills, and behold the ocean ! — This was, 
perhaps, the most grateful moment that ever I ex- 
perienced. I had been journeying in a desert, 
and now beheld the noblest feature in nature ; I 
had been exposed to ceaseless danger \ and hence- 
forth my safeguard is the flag of my country ; I 
had been friendless and alone, and there is now 
but one step to England. The sons of Africa, 
mounted on the Alps, felt not such delight in sur- 
veying the plains of Italy, as I now felt in looking 
on the vale of Ascalon. The harassed Greeks, 
whose every step was toil, and every thought was 
woe, knew not such rapture when first the sea 
burst upon their view, as I now felt while gazing 
on the ocean that invited me to my country, and 
the waves of which were dancing round my home. 

The vale of Ascalon is enamelled with flowers ; 



264 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



among others, our garden pink assumes the place 
of daisies. A large herd of camels were grazing 
at some little distance : two of our guides ran to- 
wards them, and finding one with a wooden bowl 
hanging to its side, they milked the animal, and 
drank, and replaced the vessel : this custom em- 
braces a reciprocal advantage. In the mean time I 
was hurrying forward, when on a sudden my camel 
stopped short ; I spoke to it, but without effect ; 
I goaded it gently, but in vain ; at length I struck 
it, and it immediately threw itself viciously upon 
its side, flinging me with considerable force. My 
guides ran up ; not to assist me, but to see if their 
camel was hurt ; and told me, without hesitation, 
that if I had not paid so much money for the use of 
it I should have paid in person ; that a camel was of 
more service to an Arab than the life of a Christian, 
and that I might comparatively with impunity have 
struck their wives and their children. This was 
the camel that had been sprinkled with holy dust ; 
and the cause of our quarrel was, its refusal to pass 
by a small snake that lay coiled up in the path. 

When within half a mile of Gaza, our Arabs 
drew up under a bank, and told me that their 
agreement was at an end. They refused to go into 
the town \ and if we had taken the route to Jeru- 
salem they would not have entered Hebron, for 
they did not belong to Syria, and the chamelliers 
of the country would punish them for robbing them 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



265 



of their livelihood : the Maltese must now be sent 
to the bankers for their money, and for animals. 
There might be other reasons also for their refusal. 
The man who had joined us last came to me in a 
very cringing manner, begging that I would not 
order him to be bastinadoed, instead of having 
becksheesh ; I then assured him that I was not a 
Turk. He told me that, in paying four thousand 
paras for each man and camel from Mount Sinai to 
Gaza or Hebron, I should pay four times too much, 
that the proper charge was one thousand. The 
monks in the convent had assured me, that four 
thousand were very moderate ; and they did so not 
perhaps because they were Greeks, but because 
they were afraid to contradict the Arabs. It is the 
fashion for every traveller, judging as he does from 
the casual circumstances that occur under his own 
eyes, to condemn all Greeks together. Can this 
be just ? — I certainly do not know a single trait 
why they should not — nor would I undertake to 
find three good men amongst them, to save the 
nation ! 

Giovanni had special orders to inquire for a pas- 
sage to England or any part of Christendom, and 
to bring with him the money, which he took with 
him for that purpose, to pay the Arabs according 
to agreement. During his absence I surveyed the 
environs of Gaza ; it is surrounded with gardens, 
and these are much better defended than ever this 



266 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



city of the Philistines was, in the time of Samson. 
A hedge of the Indian %-plant (fico dTndia) is 
impenetrable to either man or beast ; every leaf is 
so studded with thorns that it draws blood at the 
touch. 

It is supposed that the leaf used by Adam and 
Eve, in this neighbourhood, is that of the sycamore 
or wild fig. The common fig grows here in great 
abundance ; and it is curious to observe, how much 
the form of the leaf resembles that of the human 
hand. 

Giovanni returned after an absence of three 
hours ; there was not a sail in the port of Gaza, 
and it was with considerable difficulty that he had 
succeeded in rinding four mules and a guide to 
conduct us to Jaffa. He had seen five travellers, 
passing under the names of Englishmen ; but not 
one of whom could speak a word of the language. 
Our route hither from Mount Sinai, I should cal- 
culate at two hundred and eighty miles : we were 
actually on the journey ninety-four hours, during 
the eleven days. The animals arrived, I satisfied 
my guides, and bade them Salamm. We left Gaza 
with only one guide : this looks like safety. Mr. 
Henry Hobhouse had travelled through the coun- 
try, and informed me, that it was so free from dan- 
ger; that one might walk with gold upon one's 
head; in the interchanges of friendship and ac- 
commodation that take place among travellers in a 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAT, ETC. 267 



desert, I presented him with my pistols. Met the 
Syrian patrole, twelve men well mounted and carry- 
ing long lances with pennants to them, like those of 
the Hulans : such police, and so many in party to go 
about doing good, alter my ideas as to the safety. 
The first man we meet is heavily armed ; sword, 
pistols, and gun : I salute him, as I have been ac- 
customed to do, with " Salam alekum," Health or 
Peace to you. He knows me to be a Christian, 
and returns for answer, not " Alekum Salamm," 
but " Courage." My guide informs me, that in 
this country I must not give the Mohammedan sa- 
lutation ; that if I do so to a strict Mussulman, he 
has a right to spit in my face or even to shoot me ; 
and that if he did happen to return my salutation, 
and was afterwards to discover his mistake, he 
would insist upon my revoking or returning the 
" Peace," that he had given me. This is the law; 
and it was upon this that the Cahir Bey issued the 
sanguinary proclamation*, on finding that he had 
saluted a Christian. Even our Saviour, in opposition 
to the general tenour of his doctrine, says, " And 
if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon 
it ; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return 
to you." 

About sun-set we arrived at a wretched village, 
four hours distant from Gaza ; and here my guide 
says that we must pass the night : I urge him to pro- 

* See p. 201. 



268 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



ceed ; but he refuses, alleging that after dusk the 
road is not safe. I was easily inclined to believe 
him, for I had already observed that every man we 
met was heavily armed. The road hitherto, with 
the exception of a wood of olive trees, has been 
dull and uninteresting ; the people so uncourteous 
as not to return my salutation, and I had therefore 
assumed Turkish pride and austerity. 

We are conducted to the village Khan. He 
who expects to find a town at every ten miles, with 
relays of horses, a warm welcome at an inn, an in- 
viting landlord, and a tempting larder, will be wo- 
fully disappointed in Syria ; if he can travel eight 
hours per diem, if he finds four walls to protect his 
baggage, the top of a house to sleep on, and an op- 
portunity of satisfying his hunger by both begging 
and paying for his bread, he ought to be agreeably 
surprised. The poverty and paucity of travellers 
prevent the use of relays, inns, and larders : the 
people of our resting place are so unaccustomed to 
sell, that there is nothing for sale ; the khan is a 
rough stone-house fitted up with stalls like a stable, 
and displays no little bestiality: the roof of a house 
would be the most desirable lodging in point of 
safety, salubrity, and cleanliness, but for this night 
we have no alternative. We were scarcely installed, 
when a man, passing by the opening, for there is no 
door, said in a whisper, "Strangers, beware." He 
soon after returned with some bread, and told us 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 209 

to be on our guard against thieves : the inhabitants 
of this village are all professionally Mohammedans, 
but many of them secretly Christians. 

The night passed without any alarm. In the 
morning my guide was afraid to leave the village 
before it was quite light. In seven hours we ar- 
rived at Jaffa : the gardens are less wild, and in 
that respect less beautiful than those of Rosetta ; 
here every thing betrays a scrupulous attention to 
meum and tuum, but to see apricots, figs, and 
oranges hanging over the sea, is to be reminded 
of Mola di Gaieta, and to be delighted. 

Arrived at the town gate; the sentinel demanded 
my firman. The one that I had expected was not 
yet arrived from Constantinople, and I could not 
enter without leave. The governor was at that 
moment asleep, and it did not please him to wake 
till I had been detained there more than threehours. 
In the mean time I sent to the English vice-con- 
sul ; his son was so obliging as to come himself, but 
being dressed as a rayah, and in very little authority, 
he could render me no assistance : at length the 
permission having arrived, he led me to his own ha- 
bitation. This, as a house, is worse than the khan 
as an inn, but Buonaparte has put up with it : it 
is moreover situate close to the sea, and I consider 
the sea as always delightful, while I am on shore. 
The name of the vice-consul is Damiani in Italian; 
he converses in French -> he is hospitable, though 



270 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

his house is poor. His dress is a la longue, but 
that part of it which covers his head is a triangular 
hat, built originally for an officer of the navy ; 
" this," said my host, " is English ; I sent for it 
from London many years ago. 5 ' Its appearance at 
once proclaimed its service and its antiquity ; he 
is equally proud of his English hat, and the honour 
that he had received from Buonaparte ; with the 
latter alone he found some fault. " Ah," he ex- 
claimed, " the arrival of the French robbed me of 
my all ; and Buonaparte, as he sat where you now 
sit, made me promises that never were fulfilled.'' 
He then amused me with an anecdote concerning 
a Turkish saint. It appears, that a naked man in- 
fests the streets of Jaffa ; he is held in such vene- 
ration, that the governor himself rises at his ap- 
proach, and the women bow down before him. He 
had once taken the liberty of insulting a Christian 
female, and the "intrepid Damien" resolved to 
punish him. Knowing that a Turkish saint is con- 
sidered an idiot not having the gift of speech, and 
that his sanctity that covers his sins is also the only 
covering that he has to his body, his secret enemy 
enticed him into his garden, and here he bastina- 
doed him to such a degree that the fool has ever 
since avoided the sight of a Christian. 

A small fortification which has hitherto been 
called English, in compliment to Sir Sidney Smith, 
has lately received a new name ; and any one dar- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 271 

ing henceforward to call it by its proper one is to 
be punished with death. 

With Antonio Damiani, the deputy vice-consul, 
I passed some hours in his garden. I had taken 
my gun with me ; several times, when I am cer- 
tain that I could have hit my mark, it flashed in 
the pan. We drew the charge, and we found that 
sand had been substituted for the powder ! how it 
came there I cannot positively say. My guides 
had, on two occasions, put themselves very faith- 
fully in order of battle ; and each of these, when 
we certainly had a right to fight, ended in a game 
of brag, but perhaps they did not consider me 
qualified to carry a gun ; for when at Nahkly I was 
taking aim, one of my own party turned it aside : 
he had also endeavoured to break it, by placing it 
under a kneeling camel. It had so happened, that 
I had never once attempted to fire it from the time 
that I had loaded with ball at Nahkly : though I 
had constantly looked to the priming and rebeat 
the charge ; perhaps they stole the powder, because 
it was English. 

Caught one of those elegant and extraordinary 
animals, the chamelion ; green is its natural colour, 
as it lives among trees ; and, as far as I could as- 
certain, its power of changing is limited to vari- 
ations of that colour, viz. to so light a green that it 
might be called yellow, and to so dark that it might 

6 



272 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

be mistaken for blue. I have heard of one turn- 
ing red. 

Jaffa is celebrated for the water-melon, which it 
exports to all parts of the Levant. It is supplied 
with corn from Egypt ; a few small boats are in 
the harbour, and Giovanni, who has a presentiment 
of evil, refuses to accompany me to Jerusalem, and 
has taken his place on board a vessel to Damietta. 
I am furnished with an order to avoid payment of 
poll-tax in passing the village of Abou Gosh, and 
for the same immunity at entering the church of 
the Holy Sepulchre. Nicholai, three mules, and a 
guide, are in attendance. The distance to Jeru- 
salem might easily be performed with even such 
animals in one day, but we are to sleep at the con- 
vent at Rami ah. 

We stop to water at a handsome fountain, erected 
by the wayside at the bequest of some pious Mus- 
sulman — this is charity equally serviceable to the 
rich and to the poor. 

Arrived at the convent of Ramlah, alias Ari- 
mathea : one solitary monk is both master and ser- 
vant ; if he was to run away to his own country 
he could only be excommunicated, and even then 
purgatory would be doubtful, which it is not in his 
present residence. Here is no housemaid, and the 
bedrooms teem with five varieties of vermin. 

During the remainder of the route there is no- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 273 

thing remarkable, but the side of a mountain co- 
vered with roses. The country now presents a 
surface of rock, like that in the neighbourhood of 
Syracuse, and suddenly we come within sight of 
Jerusalem. The town is walled ; we enter by an 
undefended gate, and arrive at the Latin convent 
without having seen a human being. The monks 
come out to welcome me, and I am conducted to 
a small dark room, which seems to have been the 
first punishment inflicted upon all pilgrims, the 
door is well carved with the names of those who 
have been imprisoned in this black hole. 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



CHAPTER XXIII, 

JERUSALEM. 

Jerusalem is called, even by Mohammedans, "The 
Blessed City # " — the streets of it are narrow and de- 
serted — the houses dirty and ragged — the shops 
few and forsaken — and throughout the whole there 
is not one symptom of either commerce, comfort, 
or happiness. — " Is this the city that men call 
the Perfection of Beauty, the Joy of the whole 
Earth t?" 

The town, which appears to me not worth 
possession, even without the trouble of conquest, 
is walled entirely round, it is about a mile 
in length, and half a mile in width, so that its 
circumference may be estimated at three miles : 
in three quarters of an hour I performed the cir- 
cuit t. It would be difficult to conceive how 
it could ever have been larger than it now is ; 
for, independent of the ravines, the four outsides 
of the city are marked by the brook of Siloa, 

* El Gootz. f Jeremiah, 

t By the regular foot-path outside the walls 5320 paces— 45 
minutes. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SIN AT, ETC. 9T/5 

by a burial place, at either end, and by the 
hill of Calvary ; and the hill of Calvary is now 
within the town *, so that is was formerly smaller 
than it is at present. The best view of it is from 
the Mount of Olives ; it commands the exact 
shape, and nearly every particular, viz. the church 
of the Holy Sepulchre, the Armenian convent, 
the mosque of Omar, St. Stephen's gate, the round- 
topped houses, and the barren vacancies of the 
city. Without the walls are a Turkish burial- 
ground, the tomb of David, a small grove near the 
tombs of the kings, and all the rest is a surface of 
rock, on which are a few numbered trees. The 
mosque of Omar is the Saint Peter's of Turkey, and 
the respective saints are held respectively by their 
own faithful, in equal veneration. The building 
itself has a light, pagoda appearance ; the garden 
in which it stands occupies a considerable part of 
the city ; and, contrasted with the surrounding 
desert, is beautiful ; but it is forbidden ground, and 
Jew or Christian entering within its precinct, must, 
if discovered, forfeit either his religion or his life. 
Lately, as a traveller was entering the city, a man 
snatched part of his luggage from the camel, and 
fled here for shelter. A few days since a Greek 
Christian entered the mosque ; lie was a Turkish 
subject, and servant to a Turk ; he was invited to 



* See Chateaubriand. 

T o 



27G A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



change his religion, but refused, and was imme- 
diately murdered by the mob. His body re- 
mained exposed in the street, and a passing Mus- 
sulman, kicking up the head, exclaimed — " That 
is the way I would serve all Christians." One of 
the methods of justifying an assault, and of ex- 
torting money, is by swearing to have seen a 
Christian in the mosque, or to have heard him blas- 
pheme the Prophet; and false witnesses to the 
fact are very readily found. In my ascent up the 
Mount of Olives, a slave amused himself by 
pelting me with stones ; and, on proceeding to 
punish him, my attendant called me off from the 
pursuit, and told me that Blackee would probably 
swear to having heard me blaspheme the Prophet : 
and slaves are doubly protected — by the laws, and 
by their masters. 

The fountain of Siloa is so inconsiderable, and 
water altogether so scarce, that when my friend, 
Mr. Grey, inquired the way to it, the person refused 
to tell him, giving him as a reason — " You will 
write it in your book, and I vow to God that we 
shall have no water next year." 

The tomb of David is held in great respect by 
the Turks, and to swear by it is one of their most 
sacred oaths. The tomb of the Kings is an incon- 
siderable excavation in the rock : three small 
chambers, in which are receptacles for the cof- 
fins ; the lid of a sarcophagus, of tolerable work- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



277 



man ship, remains yet unbroken, as also a stone 
door. In the Aceldama, or field of blood, is a 
square building, into which are thrown the bones 
of strangers who may happen to die here. This 
side of the mountain is pock-marked with sepul- 
chral caves, like the hills at Thebes : concerning 
these, Dr. Clarke has made mention. The burial- 
place of the Jews is over the valley of Kedron, and 
the fees for breaking the soil afford a considerable 
revenue to the governor. The tomb of Jehosha- 
phat is respected ; but at the tomb of Absalom 
every Jew, as he passes, throws a stone, not like 
the Arab custom in so doing to perpetuate a me- 
mory, but to overwhelm it with reproach : among 
the tombs is one having an Egyptian torus and 
cornice, and another surmounted by a pyramid on 
a Grecian base, as if the geniuses of the two coun- 
tries had met half way. There is, however, no- 
thing so disagreeable in these combinations, as in the 
deviations from architecture by Mr. N. The burial- 
place of the Turks is under the walls, near St. Ste- 
phen's-gate : from the opposite side of the valley, 
I was witness to the ceremony of parading a corpse 
round the mosque of Omar, and then bringing it 
forth for burial. I hastened to the grave, but was 
soon driven away ; as far as my on dit tells me, it 
would have been worth seeing : the grave is strewn 
with red earth *, supposed to be of the Ager Da- 

* At Pisa is a burial-ground, part of the earth of which was 
brought from the neighbourhood of Jerusalem. 



#78 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

mascenus, of which Adam* was made ; by the side 
of the corpse is placed a stick, and the priest tells 
him that the devil will tempt him to become a 
Christian, but that he must make good use of his 
stick ; that his trial will last three days, and that 
he will then find himself in a mansion of glory, &c. 

The church of the Holy Sepulchre is a small, 
unworthy building: it is held in respect by the 
Turks, inasmuch as they allow that our Saviour 
was a holy man, and it is guarded by them, as they 
derive great benefit by. a poll-tax levied upon pil- 
grims at admission. It is the scene of hypocrisy, 
brutalization, and contention. The miracle of call- 
ing fire from heaven is more palpable, and is more 
unpardonable, than the melting of the blood of St. 
Januarius t : the orgies that take place upon the 
occasion, are worse than Bacchanalian, and the 
hatred existing between the Greek and Latin 
Christians is diabolical : there was lately an at- 
tempt to massacre the latter in the very church. 
The Greeks, having most money to pay the gover- 
nor, have the greatest possessions in the building, 
and they have at present immured the tomb of 
Geoffroi : every stone is contended for by rival 
parties, and becomes a source of wealth to Moham- 
medans. The Jew may not presume to enter even 
the court-yard of the temple ; I saw one unfor- 
tunate wTetch dragged in, and, before he was 
kicked out, he was severely beaten by both Chris- 

* Adam is the Turkish word for Man. f At Naples. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



279 



tians and Turks. These outcasts are so thoroughly 
despised, that an angry Arab will sometimes curse 
a man by calling him, " you Jew of a Christian." 

The on dit that conducted me through the re- 
gular routine pointed out first the via dolorosa, by 
which our Saviour carried the cross ; and here was 
the house of Pilate ; and here was the prison of 
Peter ; and, among various identical places, were 
those, where Stephen was stoned, where Judas be- 
trayed his master with a kiss, where our Saviour 
composed the Lord's Prayer, and whence he 
ascended into heaven. But there is no box of 
sweetmeats, no museum of relics ; no Virgin's gar- 
ment, as at Aix-Ia-Chapelle # ; no part of the crown 

* Among the relics exhibited at Aix-la-Chapelle once in seven 
years are " la robe blanche dont la Sainte Vierge etoit revetue 
dansl'etable de Bethleem lors qu'elle mis au monde le Sauveur." 
" Les langes ou maillots dont il est parle au 24- chapitre de Saint 
Luc/' " Le linge dont Jesus fut ceint sur la croix lorsqu'il mou- 
rut pour nous. Les marques de son sang precieux y sont 
visibles." 

s In the churches at Rome, it is customary to hang up a list of 
its riches. During my pilgrimage, I copied among others the 
following. — In the chiesa di S. Cecilia : part of the cross, part 
of the seamless vest, two thorns from the crown of thorns, part 
of the sponge, part of the virgin's veil, her milk, and her che- 
mise ; the vest of Joseph, and the point of his staff; two teeth 
and a bone of St. Peter; seven links of St. Peters chain ; tooth 
of St. Paul ; chin of St. James ; part of the head and two fingers 
of St. Thomas ; and Mary Magdalen's great toe. 

In the chiesa di S. Prassede, a tooth of St. Peter ; a tooth of 
St. Paul; part of the Virgin Mary's shift ; the girdle of our 



l 280 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

of thorns, as in the church of St. Cecilia at Rome ; 
no vessel full of the Virgin's milk, as in the Basi- 
lica di S. Croce. There is scarcely one visible 
object, excepting part of the pillar to which our 
Saviour was bound, and even this is rather to be 
felt than seen ; you are allowed to touch it with a 
stick, and to see it if you can by a rush-light. I 
wished, but in vain, to discover if it were of the 
same material as that shown at Rome, and to 
which is attached the same account. 

As in Greece there is not a remarkable hill with- 
out a fable, so in Palestine there is not a cave nor 

Saviour ; the rod of Moses ; the reed and sponge used at the 
crucifixion ; part of the heads of St. Peter and St. Paul ; the 
image of our Lord, which St. Peter gave to Prudentius, the 
father of Prassede ; the towel with which our Lord wiped his 
disciples' feet ; our Saviour's swaddling-clothes ; part of his 
vest without seams ; three thorns of the crown ; also the pillar 
to which was tied our Saviour at the flagellation : this is about 
two feet high, of black and white marble (Nero-bianco-antico). 

In the basilica di S. Croce, in Gerusalemme : three pieces 
of the cross, the title which is written in Hebrew, Greek, and 
Latin ; one of the nails of the cross ; two of the thorns ; the 
finger of St. Thomas; part of the money given to Judas ; part 
of the veil and hair of the Virgin • a mass of ashes and coals, 
united into the form of a loaf by the fat of S. Lorenzo ; earth 
of Mount Calvary stained with the blood of J. C ; also a vessel 
full of his blood ; and a vessel full of the milk of theVirgin Mary ; 
part of the stone on which the angel stood at the Annunciation . 
of the tomb-stone of Lazarus ; of Aaron's rod that budded ; 
bones of Thomas a Beckett; one of the stones of St. Peter's 
house, &e. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



281 



a stone without some historical anecdote from the 
New Testament. The generality of pilgrims to 
Jerusalem are Greeks ; they bring acceptable of- 
ferings, and are probably unable to read : and 
therefore the method of the cicerone to make 
them acquainted with the life of our Saviour is 
commendable ; even the Old Testament is not for- 
gotten, though Titus is : the pool of Beersheba and 
David's tower are still pointed out to believing pil- 
grims. There has been but little variation in enu- 
merating the objects of curiosity for the last two 
hundred years, whether in Latin, Italian, French, 
or English : Quaresmius is the most copious and 
correct, old Maundrell the most unaffected, and 
Chateaubriand the most enthusiastic. The best de- 
scription of the town is by Jeremiah. 

A cave on the Mount of Olives is pointed out 
as having been the abode of the Apostles, and from 
this spot I took a drawing of Jerusalem : while at 
my occupation, some men commanded me to give 
up the paper, but they were not armed. An Eng- 
lishman was found drawing near the walls, and 
carried before the governor, who immediately or- 
dered him a pipe and coffee. 

Made an excursion to Bethlem. The place of 
the Nativity is said to be in a small cave and un- 
der ground : it is lighted with silver lamps, and 
held in the same veneration as if it were really 
the place. It is curious to remark among the 



282 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

females of this place a great likeness of features to 
those given to the Virgin ; but there is no picture 
to my knowledge, in which a due regard is paid 
either to the manners, the appearance, and the 
productions of the country. In the neighbour- 
hood is a small chalk grotto, where my on dit told 
me the Virgin suckled her infant : the material of 
the cave is held in great veneration by the faithful, 
and is called "the Virgin's milk." 

In Jerusalem I met with only one other travel- 
ler, Mr. Hyde ; w r e visited many things in company 
together, and among others a small chapel, erected 
on the very spot from which our Saviour ascended 
into heaven. The anniversary of that event was 
now to be celebrated. I confess that I was asleep 
during the greater part of the time ; but while my 
eyes were open I saw nothing different from com- 
mon mass, and nothing equal to the catchpenny 
puppet representations of the Nativity and other 
sacred events, such as were once usual in England, 
and are still to be seen in the churches at Rome 
during the Christmas week. 

The reservoir on this mountain deserves to be 
celebrated for its echo : it is superior, in my opi- 
nion to that of the Casa Simoneta near Milan. 
We amused ourselves here with a pocket pistol, 
till some Arabs running up complained that we 
should cause the building to burst ; paid them for 
permission to fire twice more : by an unfortunate 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



283 



accident broke the lock of the pistol. In our de- 
scent down the hill we paused to rest ourselves, and 
I had taken my seat on the root of an olive-tree, 
when a slave insisted on my standing up ; this I 
refused, and he then, pointing to a Turk that was 
advancing towards me, began poking me with his 
musket. My language was now becoming very in- 
telligible, when the grandee desired his slave to 
withdraw, and, placing his finger upon his lip, came 
and seated himself between Mr. Hyde and me. 
He proved to be the Capo Verde, the Head of 
the Green Turbans, Representative of the Pro- 
phet, Governor of the Mosque of Omar, Lord Pri- 
mate of all Turkey. No one is allowed to sit in 
his presence ; and though I cared no more for him 
than for the Pope of Rome, yet I would have will- 
ingly complied with custom — he had not on a green 
turban. As soon as he had taken his seat he 
gently rebuked me, because there was some mix- 
ture of green in my trowsers ; he then sent three 
slaves to his house for coffee : he washed to know 
if we had any English arms or gunpowder to sell, 
or even to show him. Our attendant had hidden 
the pistol in his bosom, and declared that w r e had 
none. He offered to give us either shawls or 
horses in exchange ; he took the shawl from his 
own head, and sent for two horses from his stables ; 
finding that these made no impression upon us, he 
began to talk about the mosque of Omar ; he ex- 



284 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



patiated upon its superiority above all others, and 
concluded by giving us a general invitation to his 
house; of this I promised to avail myself, not 
without some hope of entering the forbidden 
mosque, and, telling him that I was engaged for the 
following day in an excursion to the Dead Sea, we 
took our leave. 

About eight o'clock in the morning a janissary 
was in waiting; having been repeatedly assi&ed 
that there was " no danger on this side Jericho,' 9 
and scarcely believing that there was any on the 
other, I had resolved upon having no other at- 
tendant ; I was at the same time provided with a 
letter to the governor of Jericho, commanding him 
to furnish me with an escort. As we were on the 
point of starting, Nicholai expressed a wish to see 
the Jordan ; a horse was procured — he girded on 
his sword, and with my fowling-piece in his hand, 
we sallied forth. The route is over hills, rocky, 
barren, and uninteresting ; we arrived at a foun- 
tain, and here my two attendants paused to refresh 
themselves ; the day was so hot that I was anxi- 
ous to finish the journey, and hurried forwards. 
A ruined building, situate on the summit of a hill, 
was now within sight, and I urged my horse to- 
wards it; the janissary gallopped by me, and, 
making signs for me not to precede him, he rode 
into and round the building, and then motioned 
me to advance. We next came to a hill, through 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 285 



the very apex of which has been cut a passage*, the 
rocks overhanging it on either side. I was in the 
act of passing through this ditch, when a bullet 
whizzed by, close to my head ; I saw no one, and 
had scarcely time to think when another was fired, 
some short distance in advance ; I could yet see 
no one ; the janissary was beneath the brow of 
the hill, in his descent ; I looked back, but my 
servant was not yet within sight. I looked up, 
and within a few inches of my head were three 
muskets, and three men taking aim at me. Escape 
or resistance were alike impossible. — I got off my 
horse. Eight men jumped down from the rocks, 
and commenced a scramble for me ; I observed 
also a party running towards Nicholai. At this 
moment the janissary gallopped in among us with 
his sword drawn ; I knew that if blood were spilt 1 1 
should be sacrificed, and I called upon him to fly. 

* Quaresmius, lib. vi. c. 2. quoting Brocardus, 200 years 
past, mentions that there is a place horrible to the eye, and full 
of danger, called Abdomin, which signifies blood ; where he, 
descending from Jerusalem to Jericho, fell among thieves. 

+ Chateaubriand met with a serious adventure — I had been 
reading his Itinerary on the previous day. Ali (the janissary) 
se precipite dans le mele * * * enfin il tira son sabre et alloit 
abattre la tete du chef des Bedouins * * * que nous serions 
infalliblement massacres que c'etoit la raison pour laquelle il 
n'avoit pas voulu tuer le chef ; car une fois le sang verse nous 
n'aurions en d'autre parti a prendre que de retourner pronipte- 
ment a Jerusalem. 



286 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



He wounded one man that had hold of me ; I re- 
ceived two violent blows, intended I believe for 
him ; from the effect of one I was protected by my 
turban — I was not armed — the janissary cut down 
another Arab, and all the rest scrambled up the 
rocks, the janissary turned his horse and rode off 
at full gallop, calling on me to follow him, which 
I did on foot : in the mean time the Arabs pre- 
pared their matchlocks, and opened a tire upon us, 
but only few of their shots came very near. We 
had advanced about a league, when two of the 
banditti made a show of cutting us off. A sud- 
den panic seized the janissary, he cried on the 
name of the Prophet, and gallopped away. I 
called out to him that there were but two — that 
with his sword and pistols, if we stopped be- 
hind a stone, we could kill them both; he rode 
back towards the Arabs, they had guns, and the 
poor fellow returned full speed. As he passed I 
caught at a rope hanging from his saddle — -I had 
hoped to leap upon his horse, but found myself 
unable ; — my feet were dreadfully lacerated by 
the honey-combed rocks — nature would support 
me no longer — I fell, but still clung to the rope ; 
in this manner I was drawn some few yards ; till, 
bleeding from my ancle to my shoulder, I resigned 
myself to my fate. As soon as I stood up, one of 
my pursuers took aim at me, but the other casually 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 287 

advancing between us, prevented his firing, he 
then ran up, and with his sword aimed such a 
blow as would not have required a second ; his 
companion prevented its full effect, so that it 
merely cut my ear in halves and laid open one 
side of my face ; they then stripped me naked. 
These two could not have known that their friends 
were wounded, or they would certainly have killed 
me ; they had heard me vote their death, and 
which we should in all probability have effected, 
had the janissary, a Turk, understood me. I had 
spoken to him in Arabic. 

It was now past mid-day, and burning hot ; I 
bled profusely ; and two vultures, whose business 
it is to consume corpses, were hovering over me. 
I should scarcely have had strength to resist, had 
they chosen to attack me. In about twenty minutes 
Nicholai came up ; his only sorrow was for my 
wound, and the loss of the sword, which was his 
own. — " You cannot live, Sir, you cannot live ! 
they have taken away my sword ; I asked them to 
give it back to me, but they would not." He then 
related his part of the adventure — ten men had beset 
him — his horse was not to be depended upon — the 
gun was not loaded ; and there were many Arabs 
on every side, so that retreat was impossible. The 
janissary now came to our assistance, and put me 
on his horse \ we passed by a rivulet of tempting 
water, but they would not allow me to drink, 



288 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



though I was almost choked with blood. At length 
we arrived about 3, p. m. at Jericho. — The " walls 
of Jericho" are of mud ; at a corner of the town 
stands a small stone building, the residence of the 
governor : within the walls of it is the town reser- 
voir of water, and horses for eight Turks. My 
servant was unable to lift me to the ground ; the 
janissary was lighting his pipe, and the soldiers 
were making preparations to pursue the robbers ; 
not one person would assist a half-dead Christian ; 
after some minutes a few Arabs came up, and 
placed me by the side of the horse-pond, just so 
that I could not dip my finger into the water ; one 
of the soldiers, as he went forth, took the rug from 
his horse, and threw it to me as a covering. The 
governor armed himself, and the whole garrison 
sallied forth in pursuit of the banditti. — This pool 
is resorted to by every one in search of water, 
and that employment falls exclusively upon fe- 
males — they surrounded me, and seemed so earn- 
est in their sorrow, that, notwithstanding their veils, 
I almost felt pleasure at my wound ; one of them 
in particular held her pitcher to my lips, till she 
was sent away by the Chous # , I called her, she 
returned, and was sent away again ; and the 
third time she was turned out of the yard ; she 
wore a red veilt, and therefore there was some- 
thing unpardonable in her attention to any man, 

* The Ostler. f The sign of not being married. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 289 



especially to a Christian, she, however, returned 
with her mother, and brought me a lemon and some 
milk. I believe that Mungo Park, on some dan- 
gerous occasion during his travels, received consi- 
derable assistance from the compassionate sex. 

About sunset, the secretary* of the governor 
provided me with a shirt. I was then put into a 
mat, and deposited in a small dark cell, but even 
there I was not at rest, for a cat made two pulls at 
my ear during the night — it was a very Moham- 
medan catt. 

Early on the following morning, the governor 
informed me, that he had scoured the roads of 
the banditti ; and that as there was no doctor in 
Jericho, every thing was ready to convey me to 
Jerusalem. He had furnished me with some of 
his own cavalry, and had added a few pedestrians 
from the townt ; I w T as then tied on a camel, like a 
dead sheep, the Turkish horsemen preceded me, 
and, scouting over the rocks, afforded^ I doubt not, 
a very pretty scene ; but I was complaining of the 

* This man is a Christian, and the only one in Jericho. Mo- 
hammedans do not study the art of writing ; and the office of 
secretary is generally performed by either Jew or Christian. 

f The cat was the favourite animal of Mohammed, and the 
Turks have many anecdotes and superstitions respecting it— -the 
cat is characteristic of the Turk. 

J There are four hundred muskets in Jericho. 

u 



290 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



motion of the camel, of the ropes that bound me, 
and the want of covering, while at every step my 
wound opened and shut like a quivering door*. I 
begged to be transposed to a horse, but my guides 
refused to stop under pretence of danger. 

Just as we came within sight of that narrow 
pass where the incident of the previous day had 
commenced, a number of Bedouins made their 
appearance ; even in any place, the most gentle- 
manlike Bedouins look like robbers ; we met, how- 
ever, upon friendly terms, and at the point of 
meeting picked up a bottle of spirits belonging to 
Nicholai — it was soon drank by our new friends 
and the Turkish soldiers. 

While talking over the bottle (heaven defend 
us from being too prolix), the Arabs told me 
they were now on their route to form my escort > 

* The wound is " not so deep as a well nor so wide as a 
church-door.'*' A French account of my adventure states, that 
the traveller received '•' un coup si violent au visage qu'il a peine 
a boire, sans que l'eau s'echappe de sa balafre !" To be tied 
on the back of a camel with hair ropes, and defended only by a 
shirt neither too thick nor too long, is indeed " roughing it;" 
to be without a companion du voyage is uncomfortable ; 
and to be shot at alone is very unpleasant. Turkey is like 
a quickset, hedge : nobody should expect to go through it with- 
out being scratched. Travellers in general make complaint, 
that the inhabitants of these countries are not so enlightened 
as Englishmen are : politicians would be very sorry if they 
were. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. ( 29 1 

for thai the news of my assassination # - had reach- 
Jerusalem on the preceding evening ; a man who 
had also been robbed by the same banditti in the 
morning, had been detained a prisoner till after 
I had passed ; he was then liberated, and car- 
ried his report to the governor of the Blessed 
City, who had immediately sent a troop of horse 
to my assistance. Now, to a person wishing to 
enlarge his book, the very circumstance of the 
bottle might furnish volumes. The finding it 
at the place of attack, was in itself a proof that 
neither the soldiers of Jerusalem nor those of Je- 
richo had been over anxious to discover the people 
of whom they pretended to be in search (they 
are but upon a par with the modern Roman vi- 
dettes) : the drinking it offered a curious con- 
trast to those holy robbers who had evidently left 
it untouched rather than break the law of the 
Prophet. Mr. Whaley, on his road to Jerusalem, 
was attacked, and the conscientious robbers left a 
sack untouched because there was a ham in the 
mouth of it. When the Italian banditti were in- 
formed of the death of one of their prey (in 1819), 
they gave a priest some halfpence to say mass for 
him. In some parts the Arabs ask for brandy ; 
here we perceive that even robbers will not touch 

* I have made use of the word assassination which the Ita- 
lians use as the Irish kilt. 

u 2 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



it. How difficult - is it for a traveller to describe 
the manners of a people ! 

Arrived at Jerusalem, I was scarely better off 
than at Jericho ; true, one of the monks is com- 
pelled to profess the art of healing : but as he 
does not pretend to have studied it, one cannot 
place much confidence in him ; however, he does 
not sell physic, and his prescriptions are consi- 
dered so harmless that even Turks will take 
them, without compelling the doctor to make 
essay. He washed my wounds with wine and 
myrrh, and I shall ever acknowledge with gra- 
titude the friendly attention of this good Sama- 
ritan. 

Jerusalem is but a sorry place to be ill at ; even 
a person in health has no reason to complain of 
comfort. I was obliged to live by suction, and at 
every meal had to thank Macdonnel for a cargo of 
sago, with which he had providentially supplied 
me. My wounds required little else than green 
leaves, but even these it w T as sometimes impossible 
to procure ; so effective is the curse upon Jeru- 
salem, that no leaves suitable either in size or na- 
ture, grow here or in the neighbourhood. I ob- 
tain them from Jaffa, thirty miles distant. 

In the course of a few days, some of the ban- 
ditti, who had not shared in the spoil, impeach- 
ed their fellows ; at the same time stating, 
that all the stolen goods were at Gaza, twenty 



TH£ OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 293 

three hours distant. The governor sends to Damas- 
cus, six days distant in an opposite direction, to ask 
what is to be done ? He is referred to the governor 
of Acre, and by him to Shekh Issa. Shekh Issa is 
the only person held in any esteem by the Arabs 
of the Dead Sea. He has himself a great respect 
for the English, and promises that all the things 
shall be restored, but he cannot punish the of- 
fenders ; he however makes excuse for them, 
that they did not know me to be an Englishman, 
but mistook me for a Turk, and the Turks had 
lately robbed them of four hundred cattle. It 
appears, by report, that two hundred was the 
number of the banditti out for the day, but only 
twenty of them absolutely engaged ; they were all 
Moabites, and consequently bad characters from 
time immemorial. Nicholai fancied that he re- 
cognised some of our friends between Mount 
Sinai and Gaza. Perhaps they did expect a great 
prize — they caught an Englishman — but he had 
no money in his pocket. 

After a lapse of three weeks, almost all the 
articles were restored to me ; the most remark- 
able of the exceptions were a small book*, my 
trowsers, and the frill of my shirt — the trowsers 
were partly green ; the Arabs, not perceiving the 

* The loss of this book I particularly regretted ; it belong- 
ed to Mr. Hyde, and contained his journal to the Oasis ; he had 
unfortunately lent it to me at midnight preceding, and it was 
accidentally in my pocket. 



2[)4.\ A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

use of a frill, had imagined it to be a charm. I was 
now to be robbed a second time ; the owner of the 
hired horse demands double its value, and swears 
that it was the price agreed upon. He then points 
to his green turban, and declares that the Judge 
would not doubt his word, and that he can easily 
procure witnesses ; he concludes by observing, 
that he knows of no law but that of eating 
Christians. Then comes every one who had been 
instrumental in the restitution, to demand beck- 
sheesh, viz. the banditti who impeached; the 
secretary who wrote, the soldier who carried, the 
letter ; the musselim who received the goods, the 
messenger who brought them to me ; those who 
saw the things, those who did not see them, and 
the governor-in-chief, who thinks only of beck- 
sheesh. 

The monks are frequent in their visits ; and 
sometimes entertaining, but generally troublesome, 
in their conversation ; the endless topics are, the 
poverty of the convent, the extortion by the Turks, 
and persecution by the Greeks. By their account 
the Greek Christian is a greater enemy to the 
Church than the Mohammedan is ; he is more 
bigotted to his own opinions, and guilty of crimes 
and miracles; but the Roman Church never at- 
tempts to impose upon its followers, and its chief 
glory is never to deceive, and never to be de- 
ceived !— Thus they seem to think that an En- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 29«5 

glishman has both the hands and ears of Midas. 
I kept my bed twenty-eight days, and at length 
became so tired of that and of the tales of the con- 
vent, that I determined to go. The superior pre- 
sented me with a certificate of my having been a 
pious pilgrim — and as I was unable to put my feet 
to the ground, I was carried down stairs and 
placed upon my horse, and it was with no little 
pleasure that I bade adieu to " The Blessed City." 



£96 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

DEPARTURE FROM JERUSALEM RAMLAH CUCOM- 

MIN NAZARETH ACRE TYRE SIDON BAROOT 

TRIPOLI CANNOBIN BYSHERRY — BALBECK 

BAROOT — CYPRUS KAKAVA — RHODES — SCALA 

NUOVA EPHESUS SMYRNA ATHENS — HYDRA 

CONSTANTINOPLE VASILIKOS — -VARNA BUCHA- 
REST VIENNA'*. 

It was nearly sunset when we left Jerusalem ; and 
about four o'clock in the morning, when we ar- 
rived at Ramlah. In passing by the village of Abou 
Gosh, we were attacked by the videttes to pay 
safety-toll or to show our firman of immunity. 
At Ramlah I found myself so overcome by cold 
and fatigue that I was obliged to keep my bed two 
days, notwithstanding the quantity of vermin. 

With considerable difficulty I found a man to 
conduct me to Nazareth. The guides of this 
place are all Mohammedans. The Rhamadan had 
commenced, and this Turkish Lent prohibits the 

* The long title to this Chapter is given principally to point 
out my route. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 297 

faithful from eating or drinking, or even smoking, 
between the period of sun-rise and sun-set ; they 
are, consequently, unwilling to aggravate their 
privations by labour. However, the road we pur- 
posed to take was not much frequented, and we 
accordingly set out for Cucommin, In about 
four hours we halted at a large pool, surrounded 
by very tine plants of the papyrus, the first that 
I have seen since quitting Syracuse (being still 
in doubt as to the three-sided rushes at Mersey). 
We soon afterwards came to a field of water- 
melons, where we feasted. My guide began 
smoking ; he did not care one para for the R ba- 
rn adan ; but he had, unfortunately, been observed 
by some one more zealous, who took the trouble 
of running up to abuse him. He immediately 
put away his pipe, nor did he again transgress 
the law during the remainder of our journey. 

The sun was sinking rapidly as we approached 
Cucommin ; many of the inhabitants were as- 
sembled on the mounds, surrounding the town, 
anxiously awaiting that happy moment when 
they might be allowed to break their fast. This 
Turkish Lent must, in many cases, compel the 
religious to sleep all day — they carouse all night. 

Cucommin contains a great number of Mo- 
hammedans, but not one Christian ; I was, there- 
fore under the necessity of applying to the gover- 
nor for a lodging ; he asked me if I had a firman. 



c 29& A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

— I had lately received one from Constantinople, 
and with no little confidence replied, that I had one 
from the Gran Seignor himself, at the same time I 
displayed a large glossy folio, the signature alone 
of which would cover half a page of letter-paper, 
and glittered with mica ; it was addressed to all the 
authorities throughout Turkey, and cautions them 
" not to despise the sublime signature this he 
looked at, asked if I had any other, and, on my re- 
plying in the negative, he told me that if I had had 
one from the Pasha of Acre he would have given 
me up his house, but as it was " I might sleep on 
the outside." My luggage was actually deposited 
under his window, but a Turk took pity upon me 
in my illness, and provided me a room. 

We left Cucommin on the following morning, 
and, at the end of seven hours' ride, dismount at 
Nazareth. 

At Nazareth is a Latin convent, a large build- 
ing very commodious for travellers who choose to 
get there to see a small chapel called of the Annun- 
ciation, and built over the identical spot where the 
angel appeared to Mary. Here is also shown the 
shop of Joseph the carpenter. The men w T ear that 
glory of a woman, long hair, and, like Samson, 
are very proud of their strength : they pretend to 
hold Turkish prowess in contempt. What inte- 
rested me the most was, an orchard of fig-trees ; 
the trees themselves appeared large and healthy, 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



but there was not a leaf amongst them even in 
this time of summer : the locusts had been there 
the preceding day. 

Nazareth did not detain me long. On the fol- 
lowing morning I pursued my route to Acre, there 
I kept my bed three days, save that once I ventured 
on the top or gazebo of the convent where I lodged. 
I had scarcely shown myself ere some men, repair- 
ing a neighbouring house, pelted me back again. 
The English vice-consul, II Signor Malagamba 
(Anglice, bandy-legs) was scarcely more civil. I 
was ill, and a stranger, living under the same roof 
with him, he might have paid me a visit : as he 
did not, I took the liberty of requesting the plea- 
sure of his company. He abuses the English, be- 
cause he is not allowed a salary ; yet he has nothing 
to attend to, for English ships never come into the 
harbour — nor would he be at the expense of hoist- 
ing the British flag upon his consulate if he were 
worth millions ; but he uses it in his commercial 
transactions, and has just forwarded an application 
to our new ambassador at Constantinople for a 
continuance of that privilege # . Of course, every 
body hates all deputies and secretaries : Sonnini, 
chap. vii. speaking of the consuls in the Levant, 
observes that many a one fears " l'approche de 
I'observateur assez clair-voyant pour s'apercevoir 
de son ineptie et quelquefois de quelque chose de 

* He is ^ince deposed. 



300 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



pis and again — " Quelques consuls du nombre 
de ceux qui comme le disoit Voltaire se croyoient 
des consuls Roniains," &c. 

My first day's journey from Acre was to Sur, 
where I was hospitably received by the Greek 
Papa, or, as he calls himself, Bishop. His palace 
contains three or four rooms, and is always open 
to travellers — he is oppressively civil. Sur is the 
ancient Tyre, " Queen of ships the harbour 
is very shallow, and very rocky — there were a 
few small boats in it. I spoke to a solitary fisher- 
man, who was whiling away his time at the waters 
edge — it did not answer to catch fish every day. 

My next journey was to Saida, alias Sidon, 
where I intended to have passed the night ; but, 
though it is a considerable place, I was unable to 
procure a lodging. The only Frank belonging to 
the town was the French Consul, and he was ab- 
sent from home. Lady Hester Stanhope resides in 
the neighbourhood, but she is notoriously averse 
to visits from the English 5 in this dilemma, rather 
than sleep sub dio, I resolved to pursue my route. 
My own horses had fallen ill — my guide furnished 
me with asses. 

We left Saida by moonlight ; our ride, as long 
as it continued by the edge of the sea, was de- 
lightful. We halted a few hours at a ruined khan, 
and, about twelve o'clock on the following day, ar- 
rived at Baroot - 7 my Jerusalem poney proving 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



301 



itself, if not equal to a horse, at least superior to a 
Sicilian mule. 

Baroot is a small dirty town, the people of 
which are reputedly insolent to Franks ; I can- 
not say so from experience ; for, whenever I did 
manage to crawl out, they always made way for 
me — perhaps they thought that I had the plague. 

The road from Baroot to Tripoli, leads between 
the sea and Mount Lebanon, and is as pleasing as 
such noble objects can make it. My guide was 
a regular dram-drinker ; and, whenever an op- 
portunity presented itself, he expended half a far- 
thing for a whiff at a pipe, and sometimes added 
another para for a cup of coffee. I have al- 
ready remarked, that the word eisherab signifies 
equally smoking and drinking ; the fumes in 
either case have nearly the same effect. The first 
word that a Turk acquires in a foreign country is 
tobacco — the pistol ramrods often contain tongs 
wherewith to put the fire on the pipe. 

Tripoli is a place of trade ; there is a ma- 
nufactory of silk shawls, which are principally 
worn by the Albanian soldiers, on gala days ; the 
ends are chequered like the plaid — an additional 
feature in the similarity between the Albanian 
and Highland costume *. — Saw the Arabian 
horses collected for the King of France — the 
price of the dearest was under forty pounds — 

* See page 67. 



30% 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



of the best, was under thirty. Kinneir states, that 
1200/. was refused for a mare at Aleppo — no- 
body, of consequence, rides any thing but mares. 
The Turks are very superstitious regarding their 
horses. One of the Mamaluke Beys, on the 
day of the massacre at Cairo, predicted some ca- 
lamity, because his horse neighed, and refused 
to advance. The French Consul of this place 
amuses himself and friends by occasionally print- 
ing and publishing a newspaper *. The principal 
rooms in Tripoli are kept tolerably cool, by a 
jet d'eau playing incessantly in their centre. — We 
found many tortoises in this neighbourhood. 

Pursued my journey, ascended Mount Lebanon, 
rested a few hours at the romantic convent of 
St. Antonio, thence onward towards Cannobin, 
descended into a valley, or, as it might more pro- 
perly be called, a cleft of the Mount. In this re- 
treat resides a Greek patriarch, a venerable and 
hospitable man ; breakfasted with him, but de- 
clined all further invitations on hearing that my 
friend Grey was established within a few hours' 
distance at By sherry : found him in his tent pitched 
under a pergolo, By sherry is a populous village, 
surrounded by mulberry-trees, and trading in silk. 
In the vicinity is a Carmelite convent, partly 
built and partly excavated in the native rock : it 
is inhabited by one monk, a Genoese, who having 

* See Appendix. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 303 

contrived to exist seven years as a missionary 
amid the unhealthiness of Bussora, and having no 
call to his own country, was still labouring in his 
vocation : his neighbours are Christians, the air is 
fine, the scenery beautiful, and the country fertile ; 
he is as happy as it is possible for a single man 
to be : he is loved for his inofFensiveness, esteemed 
for his medical talents, and courted for his giv- 
ing absolution. The villagers call upon him to 
bless their trees, and whatever fruit is produced 
by his own they steal. Established under the win- 
dows of the convent, Mr. Grey was anxiously 
awaiting till the period should arrive when he 
might travel without danger of fever : to fly also 
from that periodic plague of the Syrian coast, an 
Italian doctor had removed his quarters from Tri- 
poli to By sherry, and the shekh of the village, a 
man of some consequence, comprised our acquaint- 
ance. The doctor, myself, and servant, hired 
mules and set out on an excursion to Balbec. In 
about an hour and a half we stopped at the cedars 
of Lebanon ; a clump of trees considerable only 
from the name : seven of them are strongly 
stamped with antiquity, the largest is in girth 
18 \ feet, the others appear like young fir trees 
This grove was, till of late years, the annual 
resort of the inhabitants of Mount Lebanon, for 
religious purposes, and, like the church of the 
Holy Sepulchre or the temple of Venus, the scene 



30i< 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



of the greatest debauchery *. Venus is the ancient 
deity of this region ; but where has she not been? 
whether called Astarte, Isis, or the Moon, as 
Adonis is Ruler, Osiris, and the Sun. The former 
inhabitants of this country held their women in 
common, and probably many of their customs are 
still retained in the mysterious tenets of their suc- 
cessors, the Druses. Leaving the cedars, we passed 
over the mountain, our track being for a short 
distance through snow (July), we arrived about 
sunset at a deserted building called the Red Con- 
vent. There we passed the night, and would have 
proceeded early the next morning, but our guide 
had not said his prayers, and he refused to move 
till he had ; he was by religion a Maronite. On 
quitting the convent, we entered immediately on 
a flat plain, probably the ancient "garden of Le- 
banon," it is about nine miles in width ; and, pro- 
ceeding directly across it, we arrive at Balbec. 

Balbec, "the City of the Sun," is fully described 
by Wood. The most striking object among these 
magnificent ruins is the fragment of an edifice, of 
which only six pillars, supporting part of the archi- 
trave, now remain. It is not so remarkable for 
size as for elegance ; but is such as any lover of 
the picturesque, who might wish to build ruins, 
should be glad to imitate, In a neighbouring edi- 

* For the same reason the temple of Venus, situate on the 
river Adonis in this vicinity, was destroyed by Constantine. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



305 



fice is a layer of stones, fifteen or sixteen in num- 
ber, each of which is more than ten feet in breadth, 
thirteen feet in height, and in length from thirty- 
one to thirty-eight feet : near at hand are three 
other stones, and each of these nearly equal to three 
of the others just mentioned, being from sixty-two 
to sixty-four feet in length ; they are placed as 
nicely together as if they had been only bricks. 
In the quarry is a stone much larger* ; it is un- 
finished, and perhaps on that account more impos- 
ing : we fancy that it is a work in hand. Even 
the Egyptians did not use such extraordinary 
masses in their buildings : the pillar of Pompey 
and the obelisks of Lugsor are objects certainly 
more surprising in their bulk, their workmanship, 
and their erection ; but they were objects ex- 
pressly for show. Solomon's house of Lebanon 
was remarkable for the size of the stones used in 
its construction. 

The modern town of Balbec in point of popu- 
lation ranks highly, though we in traversing it did 
not see a human being. Our guide led us to a 

* It contains 14", 128 cubic feet, and should weigh, were it 
Portland stone, about 2,270,000 pounds avoirdupoise, or about 
1135 tons.— Wood. 

It is not perfectly rectangular, which may account for vari- 
ances in the measurements given : 

Wood says,. ,,...70 feet long... 14? — broad. ..14? 5inchesdeep. 

Pocock, 68 ...17 8 ...13 10 

I made it only,. ..65 ...13 6 ... 14 6 

X 



306 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

deserted convent; and we had been some time 
busied in cleaning it, when a man made his ap- 
pearance. He told us, that the governorship of 
the town was contended for by two * people, both 
usurpers ; that all the males had gone out to bat- 
tle ; and that whichever party should prove vic- 
torious we should undoubtedly be robbed ; he also 
urged our departure on another account, viz. the 
impossibility of procuring food. My companion 
who had been a lawyer in Italy, which place he 
had left from some known cause, and who now 
continued the art of bleeding in this country as a 
medico, immediately offered his services to all inva- 
lids, and desired the stranger to proclaim his arri- 
val. We were soon beset by women and children ; 
they were desired to bring us bread, in return for 
which they received advice. The doctor then pre- 
scribed certain quantities of eggs, milk, and honey : 
these luxuries were also procured ; but I was sorry 
afterwards to believe that our patients had been 
deluded into an idea that these things were to 
have been mixed for themselves. We passed the 
remainder of the day among the ruins, and at even- 
ing returned to the convent. The convent is a 
small low building divided into two courts ; we 
barricadoed the regular entrance : my servant and 
guide slept in one room, and my companion and 
myself in another. I had been so luxurious in 
* See Appendix. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 307 

consequence of my recent illness as to bring my 
bedding : the doctor contented himself with the 
custom of the country, and reposed upon a rug. 
In the night I was awakened by my neighbour 
squeaking out in the true Italian tone, " Chi e !" a 
lamp was burning in our room ; I saw a man at my 
feet, I started up, the man fled, I pursued, but he 
escaped over the roof : my friend and servant did 
not join me till too late. I suspect the thief to be 
the same man that had predicted our being robbed : 
he must have known that I was unarmed as well as 
undressed, and ought to have killed me, but " con- 
science makes cowards of us all." 

The Arabs are a set of thieves as cunning but 
as fearful as foxes ; a race of gascons, whose valour 
consists in words ; they start suddenly, draw their 
dirks, but, the game of brag soon over, they are as 
suddenly composed. I saw many instances of 
cowardice amongst them, and but few of bravery • 
their conversation rests upon gunpowder, fire-arms, 
sheep, corn, water, feuds, murder, and tobacco. 
The ignorance of the Arab is the greatest impe- 
diment to the researches of the traveller ; his 
blindness is thickened by his avarice, and judging 
by himself and his oppressor, he imagines that 
every one else seeks only for gold ; that the bota- 
nist culls no herbs but such as impart the golden 
dye ; and that the mineralogist searches for none 
other than the philosopher's stone. The Bedouins 



SOS A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBU, 

are generally considered robbers, but I am not 
willing to think that they prove so as long as 
they can obtain an honest livelihood by their cat- 
tle. They are faithful where they pledge their 
faith, and charitable to those in want, but insa- 
tiable where they can obtain. They are reputed to 
be good soldiers, that is, their assistance is de- 
sirable — as Cossacks. They harrass and plunder, 
they dwell where they cannot be surprized, and re- 
treat where they cannot be followed. They pay no 
taxes, acknowledge no king, and are in full pos- 
session of that Utopian blessing, liberty — a liberty 
in common with the wild beasts of the desert. 
They have no protector, they have no home. They 
are compelled frequently to traverse a pathless 
waste : with difficulty they find a scanty pasturage for 
their cattle and water for themselves ; and they 
pass their lives in one unvariable, unenviable desert. 
The Bedouin, if he pleased, could take the place 
of the Fellah, or the Fellah might adopt the life of 
Bedouin ; yet each prefers his own. The one 
would rather serve even a Greek, and have his 
home - P the other would not " serve in heaven 
the former has more comfort, the latter less annoy- 
ance. Happiness is ideal, and pleasure is by com- 
parison ; every race of man, and every rank of 
life, have an equal share. 

We learnt soon after our return to Bysherry, that 
we had been followed several miles by a party from 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 309 

Balbec. I had caught a severe cold, and was 
shortly seized with a violent fever, which confined 
me to my bed three weeks — my room was so damp 
as to be tenanted by scorpions, the first notice of 
which was finding one in bed with me ; my only 
medicine was elder-flower water, this and the at- 
tentions of my friend and the monk restored me. 
Illness is very prevalent throughout Syria at this 
period of the year, owing probably to the heat, and 
the too free use of fruit ; here is no gendarmerie 
to destroy the superabundance — the people live — 
or die — upon apricots. 

We were one day surprised by a cloud of locusts ; 
we saw them coming from a long distance every- 
where attempting to settle, and everywhere driven 
away by the anxious, noisy peasants ; they re- 
minded us of a very thick snow-fall when the 
flakes are particularly large. 

Grey, the monk, and myself, dined with the 
shekh ; two or three Arabs were invited to meet us. 
We took our seats on the floor, a stool was placed in 
the centre, and on this was served the dinner : fif- 
teen courses of single dishes, each increasing in 
savour, and in each a preponderancy of rice — plain 
rice, rice soup, rice and minced meat roasted in 
vine leaves, roast fowls stuffed with rice and al- 
monds, rice and minced meat stewed in the body 
of a cucumber, &c. We commenced with a glass 
of brandy, and contrary to the Mohammedan ob- 



SiO A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

servance of not drinking during meals ; this innova- 
tion was often repeated. On one occasion a health 
was proposed, when straight a strong-lunged 
fellow, without either notice or entreaty, bellowed 
out a song, much to the satisfaction of the host, 
and the discomfiture of his English guests. We 
had also the privilege of drinking water ; it was 
handed round in a bardak, a kind of earthen tea- 
pot, and it was requisite to pour the water into your 
mouth without touching the spout: this custom 
prevails in part of Spain. When dinner was fi- 
nished the shekh's wife threw rose-water upon our 
beards. She was a pretty young woman, and had 
been remarkably officious in serving up the dinner ; 
she then retreated into a corner of the room, and 
stood among the slaves and servants. On being 
informed who she was, I wished her ladyship to sit 
down with us, but it was not allowed. On the fol- 
lowing day, w r hen I would have enquired after her, 
I was desired to ask the shekh how his beit (house) 
did. One of our servants was so imprudent as to ask 
the shekh after his wife unequivocally ; to which 
he replied very angrily, " did you dream of her last 
night ?" His own servant was an ultra in politesse ; 
for one day, when he was bearer of a present, and 
we enquired concerning his master, he replied, 
" that depends — if you are quite well, he is per- 
fectly so." 

Some weeks passed away ; and at length I was 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



311 



nearly able and fully willing to go. Mr. Grey was 
waiting for his late companion, Alkooshy, to com- 
plete their labours concerning the written * moun- 
tains ; but to me the fertility of the country, the 
salubrity of the air, and the beauty of the scenery 
please no more — I was longing for home. I heard 
of a vessel at Baroot about to sail for Smyrna ; and 
though it was a Turkish one, 1 determined to go 
by it. 

I sent my servant via Tripoli ; and trusting to 
my slight knowledge of Arabic I took the moun- 
tain road, accompanied only by a peasant. This 
route is very beautiful to look at, and very dis- 
agreeable to travel ; in many places are steps cut 
in the rock, dangerous to the mule and wearisome 
to the traveller—it is shorter than that by Tripoli, 
but not to be preferred. We left By sherry about 
six o'clock in the morning, halted for an hour 
during the day, and about ten o'clock at night re- 
posed by favor in the divan or open shed adjoining 
a small cottage.- Early on the following day we 
descended into the bay of Junia, and reached 
Baroot about three, P. M. During the journey, 
my guide happened to leave me for a few minutes 
alone, I was quickly surrounded by the natives, 
and every one desired me to feel his pulse. In 
vain I protested that I did not understand such 
things : they replied with one accord that I was a 

* The characters the same as those I copied at Mount Sinai. 



312 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

Frank, and therefore could not but be a doctor. 
That part of Mount Lebanon, watered by the Dog 
river (Nahr el Kelb), is celebrated for a muscatel 
wine, called by Franks vino d'oro. I halted at a 
smokey, where a number of travellers had collected 
under a sycamore- tree. The Arabic for wine is 
nebeed. I had no sooner taken my seat than I 
called for Nebbie — now nebbie (Prophet) happens 
to be the word applied exclusively to Mohammed. 
The coffee-maker stared, and brought me coffee — 
that I drank, and again called for Nebbie ; he 
offered me a pipe— I smoked, and still called 
for "the Prophet! the Prophet !" — he then 
brought figs, cucumbers, and grapes — the latter 
I pressed — he discovered my wishes, but being 
a Turk himself, and consequently, forbidden to 
touch wine, he had none in his possession ; he, how- 
ever, obligingly sent for some — it proved excel- 
lent — I was not yet set right as to the word, there- 
fore exclaimed with great satifaction " the Pro- 
phet is very good." There were many Turks 
present, but I was fortunately very ill, and very 
evidently so, or I should probably have been 
taught, even through a mistake of only one letter, 
that " a little learning is a dangerous thing." 

Agreed with the captain of the vessel for a pas- 
sage to Smyrna — the captain was a Turk, the 
sailors Greeks, and my fellow-passengers Alba- 
nians — some of them soldiers, returning from the 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 313 

siege of Aleppo, and others, who had been driven 
from their country by Ali fasha (for he drove 
away all robbers), now anxious to assist at his 
approaching downfall, and to exercise their own 
natural vocations. Every man was provided with 
a rug — these were spread upon the deck, and 
so nicely had the complement been calculated, 
that it was scarely possible to move. I had, cer- 
tainly, a cabin to myself, but sack a one ! — not 
four feet high, running between the main-deck 
and the tiller ; in this I was cooped up thirty 
days — the sun powerfully hot — and my cabin to 
myself was about as satisfactory as Perillus's bull. 
I cannot decide whether these Albanians were 
more noisy when they were angry or when they 
were pleased ; they sang or grumbled all day ; 
the former as long as they were at meals, and the 
latter as long as they were not : the songs ge- 
nerally related the heroic actions of rebel chiefs, 
and could not but be interesting to an admirer of 
Ossian, or the author of the Corsair. The Alba- 
nians are said to be robbers, and the national 
anecdote concerning them is this : — if one of 
them were to see a man wearing gilt buttons, 
he would shoot him, expecting to find them gold ; 
on discovering his mistake he would lament the 
loss of his powder. In three days from Baroot 
we arrived at Larnica ; among the eatables in the 
market were snails 5 they are very palatable, and 



314 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



should be called land periwinkles. The wine of 
the country is sold at from one shilling per dozen 
to five shillings per bottle. Cyprus is the birth- 
place of Venus, and yet I was rather surprised than 
disappointed in the Beauties of Larnica. We took 
on board a poor Turk, almost naked, to whom, 
having resumed the Frank dress, I gave a suit of 
clothes ; he returned thanks to the prophet, but 
called me a dog. 

We were eighteen days between Cyprus and 
Rhodes, being about six times as long as we had 
anticipated. I was soon reduced to an allowance 
of biscuit and water ; on this I had subsisted 
some time, when I discovered that our Greek 
sailors had a cask of olives in constant use upon 
deck, as the Neapolitans have anchovies — the ad- 
dition of a few olives made my meal luxurious. I be- 
lieve that the labourer enjoys his dinner more than 
the alderman, and any variation to that of the former 
must be agreeable. The want of provisions was 
not our only evil, we remained for several days in 
the same spot, becalmed, but not motionless, be- 
ing perpetually annoyed by a ground swell — the 
sun was burning, so that I was half-baked, as well 
as quite sick. Among our passengers were some 
strict Mussulmans, one or two of whom had even 
said their prayers upon first coming in contact 
with me, a circumstance which you will remem- 
ber happened to us in Sicily, a custom which I be- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



315 



lieve is in frequent use among the Catholics, to 
prevent conversion, and among the Maltese, to avert 
the evil eye. These holy men determined to in- 
voke Nebbie for a wind, and those who were reli- 
giously disposed, assembled in circle, and per- 
formed their prayers. There had not been a 
breath of air for twelve days, but, as Nebbie 
would have it, a favourable breeze sprang up ; the 
Captain would have steered direct for Rhodes, 
but the soldiers insisted on his running towards 
the coast of Asia Minor, for water. The captain 
was afraid that they would plunder his vessel 
in such a place, and therefore proposed steer- 
ing for Kakava ; but the dispute was settled by 
one of the mutineers presenting a pistol, and put- 
ting the helm up. I had been referred to by both 
parties, and although I concurred privately in the 
Captain's opinion, I sided openly with the soldiers : 
We accordingly steered directly for the coast. 
We soon espied a grove of trees, and I predicted 
the finding of water — a prediction certain to be 
fulfilled, even if the water were to be procured 
from steam : but at the same time I warned them 
of rocks, and the boat was therefore sent ashore — it 
returned successful. After that the Albanians 
treated me with great respect, either from that 
circumstance, or because that when one of them 
had ordered me to get out of his way, I had de- 
terminedly refused. We next sailed to Kakava, 



316 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



where we replenished our water-casks. At Kakava 
are some Grecian tombs, stone rectangular build- 
ings, the upper part of which resembles a boat 
capsized *. 

Arrived at Rhodes — there we learnt that an 
Austrian vessel which had tarried at Larnica two 
days after we had left it, had left Rhodes five 
days before our arrival. She had probably kept un- 
der the Asiatic coast, and made use of the night 
winds, of which we felt nothing but the ground 
swell. At Rhodes are to be seen the works of the 
Holy Knights, who made a good exchange in 
getting Malta; we were here on Friday — the 
Turkish sabbath — the public crier ordered that 
all shops should be shut — an example to Paris. 

Left Rhodes. — A small black cloud indicated 
a storm — we ran, helter-skelter, with a number 
of other vessels, into the harbour of Scala-nuova, 
and cast our anchor alongside of a large hog-boat, 
full of soldiers, crowded together like a cargo of 
melons ; the sea became violently agitated- — we 
got out a spar to keep us apart, but it stove in the 
gunnel, and our neighbours being in the weaker 
vessel, screamed frightfully. The cloud, which 
had been gradually swelling, burst ; it poured 
forth rain in torrents, and was emptied in less 
than five minutes ; the clouds vanished, but the 

* The description is anticipated by Cockerell. — See Wal- 
pole's collection. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



317 



sea retained a violent irritation. — Remained at an- 
chor all night, and on the following morning I re- 
solved to proceed by land. I cannot take leave 
of my captain without acknowledging a favour : — 
he lent me a hundred dollars, on promise of being 
paid at Smyrna, and with no other security than 
that of my being an Englishman. 

From Scala-nuova I rode to Smyrna, a long 
day's journey of seventeen hours. — Stopped at 
the temple of Ephesus, the unworthy remains of 
which do not indicate that it was ever one of the 
seven wonders. — Refreshed ourselves at a spring, 
amid a multitude of camels laden with figs, where 
I was . witness to a system of roguery heretofore 
unknown to the merchants : the rigs w r ere packed 
in small sacks — the carriers took two or three 
handfuls from each, on their own account, and 
poured in w r ater ; the water causes the fruit to 
swell, and thus supplies both bulk and weight. 

At Smyrna I w r as hospitably entertained ten days 
by Mr. Werry, the English Consul. The Turkish 
Captain arrived and was satisfied. I hired a Greek 
vessel to convey me to Athens ; my crew con- 
sisted of four captains, viz. the first and second 
captains, the captain of the flag, and the captain 
of the deck ; besides, there was a little jacknasty, 
who was slave to the party. During the first 
night of our voyage we ran aground several times, 
but on the third day landed happily in the Piraeus. 



318 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUI5IA, 



We had not met with any incident, save that once 
a strange sail, suspected to be a pirate, frightened 
the four captains. Athens. — I visited Pentehcon, 
shot over Hymettus, and almost lived in the Par- 
thenon — enjoyed the drawings of Lusieri — the 
museum of M. Fauvel, and the hospitality of 
Logotheti— read Pausanias, and amused myself 
by sketching, and thus passed some of the most 
grateful days of my life. 

From Athens I went to the small island of 
Hydra, the naval arsenal of the Greeks, an im- 
perium in imperio, altogether free from Turks. 
A lazzaretto is established here, and I was put 
in quarantine for three days. 

I agreed for a passage to Constantinople, on 
board a very fine ship, bound to Odessa, for corn ; 
while getting under weigh, a Greek priest came 
on board to say mass, which done, he threw in- 
cense over the rudder and the head of the vessel, 
and wished us a favourable voyage ; his wishes 
were heard, and our voyage almost made amends 
for that beween Cyprus and Rhodes. The Dar- 
danelles and Sea of Marmora presented a beauti- 
ful sight ; we found ourselves in the midst of a 
large fleet of vessels, all bound to Constantinople, 
but which had been accumulating, and been de- 
tained some weeks near Mytelene and the Troad, 
unable to ascend the straits against the northerly 
wind. The width of the Dardanelles is about 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 319 

a mile, though Leander or Lord Byron, in swim- 
ming, might have found it four. I am told, that 
when a southerly wind has prevailed any length of 
time, the surface of the stream becomes nearly 
dead water, and not difficult to be passed, even in 
a direct line. 

Constantinople, as well by the beauties of 
its situation, as by the other novelties it pre- 
sents, would require more time and space than 
I can spare ; I shall therefore remark only upon 
one or two points that excited greater interest : — I 
went on the sabbath to see the Gran Signor go to 
mosque ; he was on horseback that he might be 
seen ; he was at the same time in state, that his 
subjects might be gratified in seeing : those who 
had any grievances to complain of, or any peti- 
tions to present, were arranged by the way-side, 
and every paper that was offered, he received, either 
by his own, or by the hand of some dignitary in 
close attendance. His Majesty is followed by two 
or three officers, each carrying in their hand a 
royal turban, and in the presence of these turbans 
every head must bow. It happened that when 
he had passed, a confusion arose among the crowd ; 
one of the officers held up a turban, every one 
bowed his head, and the disturbance ceased. 

There are no presentations to the Gran Signor 
— there are no levee days — and it is but seldom 
that an audience is granted : it must be for some 



320 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



specific purpose, such as the introduction of a 
newly appointed ambassador. I was present on 
one of these rare occasions, when Mr. B. Frere, 
who who was now in the place of Sir Robert 
Liston (pro tempore) had to deliver his creden- 
tials, and the day on which the janisaries were to 
receive their pay, was expressly chosen for that 
ceremony. The English residents and visitors 
were invited, and every Frank, of whatever na- 
tion, had permission to attend. We assembled at 
the British palace before five in the morning ; 
the Turkish guards, carrying torches, were run- 
ning about in all directions ; the lustre of their 
arms, the variety of dress, and the gaudiness of 
colours, produced a fine stage effect, and at the 
same time heightened our expectations. We were 
not kept long waiting, ere an officer arrived from 
the Porte, deputed to act as master of the cere- 
monies ; and at day-break we set out. The pro- 
cession commenced with about an hundred janis- 
saries, on foot, then the officer above-mentioned, 
on horseback, attended by his own servants, on 
foot, then two by two came the servants of the 
ambassador, and then Mr. Frere himself, in a 
sedan chair; all the rest of the party followed 
on foot, and ought to have done so in order, but 
the secretary, the consul, the dragomen, the mer- 
chants, the visitors, and the tag-rag, were all 
huddled together, and in this manner we arrived 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 321 

at the water's edge * ; boats had been already 
provided for us, but such was the eagerness and 
difficulty to get a place, that some of the party 
were knee-deep in mud ; on the opposite shore 
we found horses, and for these we had another 
scramble ; at length most of us were mounted, 
and we proceeded onward, without much order, 
till we were desired to wait for the Grand Vizier ; 
he came, and we fell into the rear ; the street was 
lined with a double row of ragged troops, and 
passing through which, we arrive at a dirty, dull 
building, that proves to be the entrance-gate of 
the serrail — it is quite as shabby as St. James's — 
the porch was occupied by a mob of Franks and 
Turks, I got through without knowing how, and 
not without the slightest idea of what might have 
befallen our official personages — almost all the visi- 
tors were in the same predicament. We now found 
ourselves in a court-yard, irregular in its shape 
and in its buildings ; on one side were the kitchens, 
on the other was the council-chamber, and at the 
extremity the serrail itself ; in the centre was an 
avenue of trees ; the shabbiness of the whole is 
the only thing that excites remark. Arranged 
down the avenue was a line of plates, containing 
alternately pillau, and a yellow mixture, probably 
saffron soup ; two or three subordinate officers 

* Pera, where the Franks reside, is divided from the chief 
part of Constantinople. 

Y 



•322 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

were keeping guard : at one side was collected 
a mob of soldiers, who stood eyeing these 
luxuries with great anxiety, and each with his 
best leg forward ; one or two of these hungry 
fellows rushed forth and made a seizure, on 
which the sentinels pomelled them uncommonly 
with their ink-stands * ; .at length the word 
of command was given, and the whole of this 
FalstafFs regiment charged, with all the speed 
and avidity of the Duke of Queensberry's pig ; 
the first rank was generally pushed beyond the 
dishes — the second snatched them up — and they 
in their turn being also propelled, both parties 
were splashed over with the yellow sauce. This 
treat being finished, we were directed to the di- 
van or council-chamber, where we found already 
asssembled the Grand Vizier, the Capitan Bassa, 
three other dignitaries of the Porte, and our 
minister and suite. The five Turks were seated 
on a sofa that stretched partly round the room, 
and a chair was placed in a corner for our mi- 
nister — every body else was obliged to stand. — 
The room is small but elegant, fronted with a 
very handsome gilded grating, the ceiling is a 
groined arch, at each corner of which is an indif- 
ferent painting of inanimate nature t ; over the 

* These ink-stands are metal, and in form and size like a 
hammer ; they are worn in the bosom, and often suspended 
round the neck by a chain. 

f See page 59. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 323 

seat occupied by the Vizier is a neat bay window- 
grating, and at this, it is said the Gran Signor 
comes to spy and listen, because his pride and sub- 
limity will not allow him to look at a Christian, 
even pending the interview. Previous to entering 
we could not but observe a pile of small leather 
bags, said to contain the pay of the janissaries *, 
these were now brought in with considerable show, 
bustle, and delay, and arranged at the feet of the 
Vizier ; one of them was opened, and the contents 
poured forth upon a salver, to show that there was 
no deception — they were really half farthings — 
they were then examined and highly approved of ; 
the bags were then counted over again, and laid at 
the door, with the same pretended consequence, 
and then again handed on through a file of sol- 
diers, and arranged upon the flag stones, a certain 
number at a time ; on each occasion a company 
of janissaries was let loose at them from about two 
hundred yards distance ; whoever was so fortunate 
as to obtain a bag in the scramble, would receive, 
on restoring it to government, one sixpence in ad- 
dition to his pay. The scramble did afford the 
spectators some amusement till it grew wearisome, 
for it lasted about three hours ! The next part of 
the ceremony was dinner : — a stool and tray was 
placed before the Vizier, another before the Ca- 
pitan Bassa, a third before the two Turks that sat 

* I was told 60,000Z. sterling. 
Y 2 



324 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



together, and another before the fifth remaining 
one, who sat by himself ; our minister took his place 
with the Vizier, — our consul at the second table — 
no stranger was admitted at the third — and at the 
fourth were the secretary of the embassy, Lord 
Charles Murray, and myself — there was no provi- 
sion for the rest of the party % the first dish 
brought in was a present from the Gran Sign or 
to the Vizier, and was by him received with much 
ceremony ; stools were allowed us to sit upon, 
and a spoon, a napkin and bread, were placed 
for each ; the dishes were brought in singly, and 
in lottery order — minced meat, pie, fowl, fish, 
sweets, fish, fowl, &c. in all twenty-eight in num- 
ber, none of them remarkably good, except an 
aromatic Italian cream, and none particularly bad, 
except the pastry, and a mixture of saffron. The 
moment a dish was put down our host dipped his 
fingers into it, and then desired us to do the same ; 
there was only one dish of which he took fairly a 
mouthful ; I followed his example, and found it 
saffron, to my infinite disgust ; nothing was of- 
fered us to drink, though the last spoonful allowed 
us was of sherbet. Among the articles before us 
was a roast fowl, it was uncarved, and we had 
neither knives nor forks ; Lord Charles happened 
to touch it, when one of the cooks in attendance 
immediately took it up, pulled it to atoms with 
his fingers, and threw it down before us. In less 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



325 



than ten minutes after our beginning to sit down, 
we had partaken of twenty-eight dishes, and the 
stools were, without any warning, snatched away 
from under us. Half an hour was now allowed 
us to wash our hands, after which we were all 
called out into the yard, where we were kept some 
time standing ; but for the minister there was a 
dirty stone, upon which he might have sat, if he 
had so pleased. At length there came two people 
with bags, containing pelisses, these were poured 
forth, and the clothesmen called out the names of 
such as were to receive them ; they were of three 
qualities, the first edged with sable, the second 
with ermine, and the third made of a mean coarse 
stuff ; these are destined for the minister and his 
immediate suite and dragomen, though lent for 
the occasion to visitors ; nobody can be admitted 
into the audience-chamber without one, and even 
the last class is altogether rejected # . 

As soon as we were clothed there came forth a 

* There is a vulgar rumour, that when a Christian wishes for 
an audience a message is delivered to the Gran Signor, setting 
forth that " a dog, naked and hungry, begs to be admitted " 
to which is given this reply : " Clothe him, and feed him, and 
bring him in." The pelisse is a badge of honor in Turkey 
the same as the garter or court robes are in England; but 
perhaps the humiliating expression of " clothing" may arise 
from the nature of the Franks' dress, which is considered by 
the Turks as no dress at all. It is reckoned indecent, even in the 
short oriental or Mameluke costume, to make an ordinary visit 
without that outer garment, which covers one, like a college 
gown. 



326 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



party of attendants, one or two of whom seized each 
of us by the shoulder : we were thus led through 
a file of domestics magnificently habited, and then 
pressed into a small dark room, which proved to 
be the chamber of audience. Seeing was nearly 
impossible, notwithstanding the effulgence of 
the sublime presence — the principal light came 
through the door-way. The room was so small 
that we were crowded dreadfully, our attendants 
were bearing with all their force upon our shoul- 
ders, and while we were trying to make ourselves 
comfortable, ten minutes passed away, and the af- 
fair was over. The throne of the Gran Signor is 
a four-posted bedstead, quilted with pearls and pre- 
cious stones : on this sat his Mightiness, not in the 
oriental fashion but like a Christian — with his legs 
pendant*. At the side of the room to the right hand 
were the Gran Vizier and Capitan Bassa, and the 
embassy were drawn upon foot at theleft, thus form- 
ing three sides of a square. We all remained with 
our hats on, not that it is a De Courcy privilege, 
but that on the contrary to take the hat off is not a 
mark of respect but an insult ; the only thing re- 
quired by etiquette is the pelisse, and the only 
thing forbidden is the sword, and this since the 
assassination of one of the sultans t, 

* I saw two arm-chairs at his maison de plaisance — Sweet- 
waters. 

f General Sebastiany, the French ambassador, insisted on 
wearing his sword ; but, while he was being hustled into the 

room, it was snatched away. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 3%7 

Our minister made his speech in English, and it 
was then translated by the dragoman according as 
it had been previously written. The Gran Signor, 
contrary to usual custom, vouchsafed a reply from 
his own lips ; this was translated by the dragoman, 
and we were immediately hustled out of the room, 
which being clear of, our attendants pushed us 
about our business. During the whole perform- 
ance, the Mighty Signor never turned his head 
either to the right or to the left ; he occasionally 
glanced obliquely at the minister, but did not once 
look, even while speaking to him. The first Eng- 
lish speech was not so humble as probably, if rightly 
translated, would have been agreeable, but the in- 
terpreter without fear of discovery might make it 
so : the answer was such as it would please the Sul- 
tan to make, and the translation given was such as 
would be thought pleasing to the English to hear. 
The audience being over, we would gladly have 
made our escape, but the money bags were to be 
seen once more ; we were therefore desired to draw 
up in a recess of the entrance-porch, while the ja- 
nissaries came tearing and swearing along, and each 
of them laden as to his shoulder with one of these 
well-known bags, in each of which might be nearly 
half a pint of half farthings. This was far the most 
annoying and most tedious part of the ceremony ; 
at length it finished, and we got upon our horses, 
but we were not even then allowed to proceed till the 



328 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



Turkish dignitaries were pleased to come and mount 
theirs, and take place of us. Notwithstanding this 
etiquette our friendship with the Porte is worth 
preserving. We arrived at Pera about half past two. 
The only agreeable parts of the day's work took 
place within the precincts of the ambassador's re- 
sidence, viz. the assembling in the morning, and 
the dinner in the evening. I ought not, perhaps, 
to have chosen this particular day to mention the 
latter entertainment, for hospitality invariably 
reigned at the British palace. 

I had intended going from Constantinople to 
Odessa ; but my servant, whom I had taken in ex- 
change for the original Nicholai, at Athens, never 
had any such idea : / was deterred by the horror 
of forty-five days quarantine, and he refused by 
reason that " if three ships go to the Black Sea 
only one returns — this prevalent idea is perhaps 
the best etymology of the name. 

Engaged another servant, and hired a large open 
boat for Varna. We had scarcely cleared the Bos- 
phorus when the helmsman ran us ashore, because 
it appeared likely to rain. In about two hours we 
again ventured forth, and sailed rapidly as far as 
Vasilikos*, and in this place also we sought a har- 
bour for the above reason : here we were detained 

* Ought, probably, to be written Basilikos. The Greeks 
pronounce B. as V. as we dp in many of our German-English 
words. 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 329 

forty-eight hours by a black sky and squally wea- 
ther. Hares abound in this neighbourhood ; I 
went out shooting, and, having returned quite wet, 
was seated half undressed upon my bed in the 
coffee-room, when the governor came in : he sa- 
luted me and ordered coffee and pipes, the same 
were handed to me ; he remained about an hour 
" eisherabbing." A poor girl happening to pass he 
gave her some money, and then held out his hand 
to receive a kiss — a court-like mark of respect. 
On leaving the room he threw upon the table a 
handful of paras. I was then informed, that he 
had made me a visit of ceremony ; and that, ac- 
cording to the Turkish custom among particular 
friends, he had come expressly to the public-house 
to treat me to a cup ; but it was expected that 
I should send him a token of everlasting friendship 
— this cup of coffee was the dearest present I ever 
accepted. 

On the fifth day we arrived at Varna, a consi- 
derable fishing-town with a convenient harbour : it 
is now being fortified at the expense of the gover- 
nor ; for his life having become forfeit to the Porte, 
he had bought himself off by this bribe ; so that 
probably he will not be put to death till the forti- 
fications are complete, or he will then turn rebel. 
I had a letter of introduction to one of the prin- 
cipal personages, a Greek bishop ; I found him in 
his warehouse or cellar. He apologized for not 



330 



A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 



offering me wine : but it had all turned sour, and 
he was therefore under the necessity of selling it as 
vinegar. The governor insisted on my taking a 
guard part of the way towards Bucharest, because 
an Englishman had, a few years since, been mur- 
dered on that road. The country was dull and un- 
interesting, and the accommodations poor and dif- 
ficult to be procured. 

The roads throughout Bulgaria are very bad ; 
and two slight waggons that I had hired to convey 
myself and servant were without springs. On one 
occasion, I found my mattrass spread upon a plat- 
form next to a large bundle, that proved to be a 
man dying ; his wife was in great sorrow, and sel- 
ling coffee and spirits : soon after my arrival a 
Greek priest came in, and repeated charms by way 
of medicine, for which he received his fee. He 
was himself so conscious of the humbug, that he 
made an apology to me. As soon as the spells had 
ceased, came in my waggoners and some neigh- 
bours, who, in spite of my remonstrances, got very 
drunk, and danced till morning. I was five days 
between Varna and Bucharest, and every night had 
to sleep in the same room with my host, hostess, 
and their children, my servant, waggoners, and 
other travellers, all upon the floor. Bulgaria brings 
one acquainted with strange bedfellows. 

Though Wallachia is a Turkish province, Bucha- 
rest is always governed by a Greek ; he is ap- 



THE OASIS, MOUNT SINAI, ETC. 



331 



pointed by the Porte. The cross is frequently 
seen erected by the way-side, as in the Nether- 
lands ; there are not many Mohammedans in the 
country, but nearly every one that I saw wore & green 
turban, I imagine not by right, but in pride and 
bravado. In Bucharest it is particularly remark- 
able that the streets are not paved with stones, 
but floored with timber ; cards and dancing, for- 
bidden by the Mohammedan law, are in fashion 
here ; there is a good ball-room, and regular whist 
parties ; the higher classes converse in Greek, the 
lower in a mongrel Latin, worse than the Hunga- 
rian, but not yet quite Italian. — When Paul wrote 
his Epistle to the Romans, was not Greek then and 
there the fashionable language ? The carriages in 
use among the boyars or noblemen, are a kind of 
waggon, (wagen von Cronstadt) about three feet 
wide and eight feet long, without springs, the 
body wicker-work, and the covering canvas, 
painted ; between, or rather above the wheels, 
this canvas may be rolled up, so as to make a win- 
dow, and it is generally used as a door by harle- 
quinading ; it was such a machine as this, well 
filled with hay, that brought me to Vienna. The 
roads between Bucharest and Rothenthurm are 
worse than over the Apennines ; we always had 
eight horses, and frequently four bullocks. Qua- 
rantine, on entering the German States, detained 
me only five days, the time spent at Bucharest 



332 A VISIT TO EGYPT, NUBIA, 

having been taken into consideration. Through- 
out Transylvania and Hungary it was always a 
work of time to procure post-horses 5 at one place, 
owing to a momentary scarcity, I was positively 
refused till I produced my despatches and " cou- 
rier's passport" which had been obligingly for- 
warded by Mr. Frere to Bucharest. I was sel- 
dom detained at any post-house more than two 
hours, and but seldom less — a delay, which, la- 
mentable enough to a courier, was particularly so 
to me now, after three years' absence, hastening 
home to England. 



FREDERICK HENNIKER. 



333 



APPENDIX. 



ERRATA. 

Page 11, for Laterensis read Lateranensis. 
108, for at Delhi, read in India. 

110, in speaking of Arabat Matfooner, I am quite wrong in 
stating that it has been overwhelmed with sand since 
Hamilton was there — it was already overwhelmed at 
that period. 

1 55, for Coptic read Enchorial. 



The coating of the pyramid of Chephrenes has 
been variously described, see Denon, &c. There 
may be various kinds of stones used in the edifice ; 
that of which I brought home a part is limestone, 
containing 45 per cent, subcarbonate of lime. The 
angle is 126°. It appears to have been glossed 
over with a kind of resinous matter. 

The inscription mentioned at page 155 is not 
added : for, hearing that it is already in the pos- 
session of a gentleman who has laboured hard on 
the Nile, I should be sorry to anticipate his publi- 
cation. — Others are withheld, because they have 
been already published. 



334 



APPENDIX. 



Inscription on the Temple at the Oasis-Bceris. — P. 187. 

* tiiepthCtotktpiotattokpatopoCkaiCapoCnepota 
tpaianotaplctotcebactotrepmanikotaakikotttxhcenimapkotpottiaiotaotnot 

EnAPXOTAirTriTOTCAPAniAlKAIlClAIGEOlCMEriCTOlCOIAnOTHCKTCEXlCOITEAECAN 
TECTHNOIKOAOMHNTOTnTAnNOCETEPriACXAPINEnOIHCAN L IE ATTOKPATOPOCKAlCAPOC 
NEPOTATPAlANOTAPlCTOTCEBACTOTrEPMANIKOTAAKIKOTnAXXlN A 

* I also have to acknowledge the friendly assistance of Dr. Young, who suggests xiaCexiC 
rather than KTCEnC — and who reads TEAECANTEC in place of rPA'SPANTEC as I had written it. 



Inscription on a Rock near the Narkoos. 
i__X* 

! An Hn.A Itntf i l>clin 



Inscription on Rock at Kardassy. — P. 153. 




To npec KYATMMA 77 IT I +j| f$(pP)3 



J TO TrpocfcV/vfi-MA Cfttf E 
Po tsrK¥pH-kloYcAPAniu>/voe 
It Pi W € rOMO XAfi TATcY 
TIATpOCKA / TUCMZ TpcckAl 
Tu/ Af A A £ A <$>w®/j<Arru?A/ 

/ C-w^Aiwoypic Kh aco/c 




/ 



APPENDIX. 335 

Inscriptions on various Stones near that of Moses, at the foot 
of Mount Sinai.— P. 232. 

&7U. , 
1' 

iH'f 



336 APPENDIX. 

Inscription on the Convent at Mount Sinai. — P. 235. 

noma R0!t%CN4fofrc. me a 

CACWCBvrtMZlWTiNl&XTBCAlAl 

OAli/mccri&o ia$mc-z$t?< <£oct 

SaC hCBA C'AC14 C4. KA I M7e~n£tN 

On one of the Tomb-Stones at Essouan. 

fa ^JWA 



APPENDIX. 



337 



(Juillct 1820.) 



U ERMITE DU MONT LIBAN, 

No. 14. 



AVIS. MM. Ies Abonnes qui peuvent avoir a se plaindre de ne ren- 
eontrer aucun article de leur gout, dans cette feuille de si peu d' eten 
due, sont invites a transmettre a F imprimerie de Y Ermite, les a\ is 
dont ils desirent la publication. On donnera cependant la prefe 
rence aux renseignemens qui auront pour objet les Antiquites ou 
le Commerce. 



JAFFA le 24 Juin. 

Un Voyageur Anglais, M. Fre- 
deric Henniker, a eu le malheur 
d' etre attaque, lui et son domes- 
tique par huit Cavaliers Arabes, 
dans les environs de cette ville. 
La resistance qu'il a pu leur 
opposer, les avait tellement ir- 
rites, qu' apres 1' avoir crible de 
blessures et depouille de ses vete- 
ments, ils voulaient encore Y egor- 
ger. Le sabre deja leve pour lui 
trancher la tele, a ete retenu, de- 
tourne par Tun des Arabes: mais 
F infortune Voyageur n' en a pas 
moins recu un coup si violent au 
visage, qu' il a peine a boire, sans 
que F eau s' echappe de sa balafre. 

Depuis cet accident, M. Hen- 
niker s' est refugie au Mont Liban, 
ou F on espere qu' il se retablira. 
JSous nepublions son malheur que 
pour rendre plus precautionnes a 



F avenir, les etrangers qui vien- 
nent en ces contrees. 

A present nous sommes fondes 
a croire que la nouvelle de F assas- 
sinat commis sur le Domino, dont 
nous avons parle dans notre pre- 
cedente feuille, n' a d' autre fonde- 
ment, que le cruel evenement que 
nous venons de rapporter. Dc3 
personnes dignes de foi, ont assure 
F avoir vu en Chypre, au com- 
mencement de Juin, se disposan'e 
a continuer ses courses. 

TRIPOLY le 4 Juillet. 

Hier, est parti de cette ville, 
M. le Vicomte de Portes, ofncier 
superieur, charge par le Gouverne- 
ment Francais, d' un achat de che- 
vaux Arabes. II se rend d' Alep a 
Seyde, avec un second convoi 
d' une douzaine de chevanx, dont 
cinq lui ont ete donnes par S. Ex. 
Ahmed Kourchid, Pacha d 1 Alep, 



338 



APPENDIX. 



Ce present a ete fait en reconois- 
sance d' un superbe harnois pour 
vittelage de six chevaux de carosse, 
harnois que M. le Vicomte avait 
offert au Pacha, de la part de S. 
Ex. le Ministre de 1' Interieur. 
Parmi ces cinq chevaux, il y en a 
trois de richement enharnaches, 
dont 1' un pour M. le Roi de 
France, le second pour le Minis- 
tre et le troisieme pour M. de 
Portes, a qui le Pacha s' est plu 
temoigner, en toute rencontre, 
tme estime particuliere* 

On aur'a peine a croire dans 
d* autres pays,les traits suivans de la 
voracite des Sauterelles. Une pe- 
tite fille encore au berceau, aban- 
donnee, quelques instans par sa 
mere en offre un des plus triste. 
Cette mere imprudente qui avait 
oublie de fermer la porte de ¥ ha- 
bitation, est restee interdite, a son 
retour, en voyant le berceau cou- 
ver de sauterelles. Elle veut les 
chasser, elle crie au secours, elle 
deespere; mais le mal etait fait. 
Les maudits insectes avaient telle- 
ment devore les yeux et le visage 
de l'enfant, que cette innocente 
creature est morte peu de jours 
apres, des suites de leurs piqures, 

L' autre trait non moins surpre- 
nant, n' a pas eu un resultat si 
funeste. Un Paysan excede de 
fatigue, pour avoir fait la chasse 
aux sauterelles, s* etait endormi 
au pied d' un arbre. II avait eu 
a precaution de s' envelopper les 



yeux, comptant sans doute que sa 
barbe longue et touffue, lui defen- 
drait le menton, des atteintes de 
1' ennemi aerien. Cependant les 
sauterelles ont fondu dessus et 
pique si avant dans la chair, que le 
manant reveille par la douleur, est 
reste tout ebahi de se trouver le 
menton degarni de barbe et a, demi 
ronge. 

LATTAQUIEH le 16 Juillet. 

La Corvette du Roi, 1' Espe?- 
rance, ayant a bord M. le Baron 
Desrotours, Capitaine de vaisseau, 
Commandant la Division du Le- 
vant, a passe ici un jour, et doit 
continuer sa tournee dans les 
Echelles de la cote, jusqu' a Alex- 
andrie, fort rapidement, pour pou- 
voir etre de retour a Smyrnc 
le 25 Aout, jour de la fete de S. M. 
le Roi de France. 

Des lettres de Constantinople 
du 19 Juin, annoncent que les 
preparatifs de guerre contre Aly, 
Pacha d' Janina se poursuivent 
avec une grande activite, soit sur 
la Flotte, soit dans les Arsenaux de 
terre et de mer. 

Suivant les memes lettres, les 
changes ont subi une baisse consi- 
derable, la papier etant devenu 
abondant a cause des achats d' 
huille faits a la Canee, dont les 
payments ont eu lieu sur cette 
Capitale. On cote la piastre sur 
Marseille, a 160 et a 165 Cen- 
times, 



APPENDIX. 



339 



BALBEK le 3 Juillet. 

Oepuis la mort de PEmir 
Djadja, il y a environ trois ans, 
cette ville et les villages de son 
territoire se depeuplent journelle- 
ment par le meurtre et le pillage. - 
Les freres du defunt, P Emir Sul- 
tan et P Emir Emin, se disputent 
V autorite, et Pusurpent alterna- 
tivement, au prejudice de leur 
neveu qui n' est pas en age de 
combattre leurs pretentions. Hier 
encore, une rixe sanglante, effray- 
ante pour ses consequences a eu 
lieu entre les gens de P Emir 
Emin Gouverneur actuel, et des 
cultivateurs Druses du village de 
Zahle. Elle a pour cause le 
refus fait par P Emi de ratifier 
P arrentement stipule par son 



frere, des riches terres de Balbek 
a ces cultivateurs. 

Ondonncra la suite incessammmt, 

Cours des monnoies . . en Paras. 



Quadruple 4.5 l JO 

Portugaise 21 60 

Sequin Mahmoudieh .... 1060 

Id. deVenise 610 

Id. de Constantinople .... 340 

Id. du Kaire 500 

Roubieh 115 

Talaris et Piastres d' Espagne 510 
Bechlik 205 



Toutes ces monnoies n' ont 
eprouve une hausse si considerable, 
que depuis le commencement du 
mois. 

A TRIPOLY de Sgrie. 



340 



APPENDIX. 



Copy of Certificate given by the Superior of the 
Convent at JerusaFem. 

In DEI Nomine. Amen. 

Omnibus et singulis has nostras litteras inspecturis 
ac peiiecturis, Nos infra scripti fidem facimus atque 
testamur Dominum Fridericum Hennicher ex 
Anglicse Regno lerosolymis fuisse, et omnia Sacra 
Loca presentia, et Sanctissima Conversatione Do- 
mini Nostri Jesu Christi decorata, ej usque pre- 
tiossimo Sanguine Consecrata, quse tarn intra quam 
extra hanc Sanctam lerosolymorum Civitatem con- 
tinentur, et ab omnibus Peregrinis visitari solent, 
personaliter visitasse. In quorum fidem f. 

Dat. in Conventu S. Salvatoris Jerusalem die 10 
Junii anno 1820. 



F. Salvat. Ant s . a Melita 
Gustos et Commissarius 
Apostolicus, Tse. JS^. 



Loc. Sig. 



Fr. Odoricus, a Later n 
Secretarius Terras Sanctse. 






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